


Cat and Mouse

by LilahLuck



Category: Avenged Sevenfold, My Chemical Romance
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-08-13
Packaged: 2019-04-07 21:03:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 38
Words: 49,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14089614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilahLuck/pseuds/LilahLuck
Summary: One city, one police dept with its demons and one gang, new in town and looking to make a mark.The battle lines are drawn and its a fight to the death....





	1. 4.00 AM

Dark things come out at night.  
Four a.m is the dead zone, the time most suicides happen and only the slightest trace of humanity walk the streets. It was quiet in the city centre as all the bars and clubs had closed two hours before, the patrons quick to rush through the drizzle to waiting cars, buses and taxis. The pretty fountain in the centre of Market Square still shot plumes of icy water upwards but the sound echoed against empty buildings and into the clouded sky. In the day it was a place of enjoyment in a grey city but at night it became eerie.  
Jon Roberts knew he should have got a cab home but his money had run out half way through the night and his friends had somehow followed it out the door at closing time. Shoving his hands deeper into his pockets and trying to keep his semi drunk legs upright, he wandered across the square toward the main station. The rain was helping him to focus as it dripped steadily down his neck and he wondered if he could summon up the courage to call his dad and risk that wrath rather than walk the six miles and risk either pneumonia or getting hit by a passing car.  
A movement at the corner of his vision caused him to look up. The momentary fear of being mixed up in some form of trouble flashed across his mind. It was a risk you always took by going out on a Saturday night but the lateness of the hour and the fact that he was alone made it all the larger in Jon’s brain. It was then that he noticed the girl. She was sitting on the edge of the fountain, trailing one hand in the water and seemingly oblivious to his presence. A striking dark haired woman, dressed in a forties style dark suit that for a minute caused Jon to think he was hallucinating. There was something unnerving and out of place about her. As he got closer, he realised tears were running gently down her cheeks.  
“Hey, are you alright ?”  
The woman looked up at him, alarm crossing her pale features at the slight slur to his words.  
“I’m fine. Thank you. Just waiting for someone.”  
She looked away, seemingly embarrassed and for a moment Jon considered walking on. Pity then crossed his mind. There was no way he could leave a distressed woman alone and vulnerable at four in the morning. The wind had picked up a little as stray newspapers whipped around the side of the stone ledge she was sitting on. Jon glanced around to see if there were any other bystanders nearby.  
“It’s very late, can I call you a cab or something ?”  
He waved his phone with a smile causing her to smile a little too before it fell away quickly.  
“That’s very kind but I’m sure he’ll be here soon.”  
A blush flooded his features as the woman dissolved into tears, her shoulders shaking with sobs as she turned away from him. Jon quickly sat beside her, the urge to comfort somehow overcoming his normal reticence. He hesitated before putting a arm around her shoulder. The woman lent against him, a soft sigh escaping her lips.  
“I’m sorry, look let me call this cab. I’m Jon.”  
Not knowing quite what to do, he offered his hand which she shook politely.  
“Lilith. You’re very kind. I’m making a fool of myself.”  
“Not at all, it’s not good to be alone out here.”  
Lilith smiled slightly again, one hand wiping away her tears as she stared toward one corner of the square where the shadows were deepest.  
“Johnny is unreliable at the best of times. I should know better by now.”  
Jon pulled his phone from his pocket, half the number dialled when an angry shout caused both of them to look up. A man was quickly crossing the damp cobbles toward them, a furious glare on his face.  
“Get the fuck off my woman.”  
“Hey cool it ok ?”  
Jon stood up quickly, although short the man was well built, his arms filled with tattoos and a dark scowl twisting his features. Lilith stood too, something approaching panic on her face.  
“Johnny, calm down. I was upset, he was just calling me a cab.”  
“Shut the fuck up bitch, I’ll deal with you later.”  
Jon put himself between the thug and his target, arms out raised to try and calm the situation down. He was glad now that he hadn’t left her to deal with this obvious maniac and his own sense of moral fair play wasn’t going to let him walk away. Lilith peered over his shoulder, her eyes wide as Johnny drew closer.  
“Leave her alone. Let’s deal with this like rational human beings.”  
A nasty chuckle came from the other man as a fast fist caught Jon square on the nose. Pain exploded and he felt himself stagger back, his leg catching the side of the stonework of the fountain, causing him to fall. Lilith moved quickly, pushing Johnny hard in the chest.  
“Stop it. You always do this Johnny, just stop.”  
Jon looked up as a resounding slap echoed around the square, Lilith’s head snapped back by the blow. Johnny stormed away without a word, leaving her holding her cheek and Jon trying to stem the flow of blood from his nose. She knelt down beside him, the redness along her cheekbone stark against her skin.  
“I’m so sorry, he has such a bad temper.”  
Jon struggled up, Lilith helping him as they both looked across the now deserted square. She pulled a handkerchief from her pocket, gently holding it to his nose as he winced in pain.  
“He’s crazy.”  
“Yes he is.”  
Lilith leant against him, the closeness causing him to feel a flush of desire. There was something sensual in the way she looked at him, the hand on his chest was the lightest of touches. He took a deep breath, his head throbbing with the combination of pain and alcohol which made him feel nauseous and dizzy.  
“The doctors called it insanity but what do they know.”  
Jon felt all breath leave him as she pulled him down to sit on the fountain again, cradling his head on her shoulder as she held the handkerchief to his nose. He smiled until the gentlest of whispers reached his ear.  
“We’re all a little crazy sometimes.”  
The flash of steel was too quick for him to see as Lilith cut his throat clean from ear to ear, turning him away from her as the air misted with red. She watched his lips move uncomprehendingly as blood poured in a steady stream down his chest, the t-shirt stained black under the moonlight. She waited until the light had left his eyes before pushing him into the water, careful not to mark her clothes.  
“Pretty.”  
“Very and oh so surprised.”  
Lilith giggled as Johnny reappeared, Syn and Zacky close behind. All three were smiling, this brought their tally for the evening to three. Each by a fountain, each a minor work of art in planning and murderous intent. Syn held out his hand, pulling Lilith up and lightly kissing her cheek.  
“I owe you a tenner, not a mark on you.”  
"Apart from the slap, I enjoyed that."  
The girl smirked at Johnny before turning back to Syn.  
“You owe Matt the tenner, he said you would be able to watch. I thought you would interfere.”  
Lilith kissed Johnny on the cheek too before the four of them walked away. Four fountains, three bodies. Still one more to find before the nights work was complete.


	2. 7.00 AM

The old police building looked as tired as its occupants as a grey dawn started to blush the horizon. It badly needed some work done but the city was feeling the pinch and needed the money to be sent on new officers rather than its crumbling real estate. Claire sighed, locking her car and picking up the tray of coffees from the roof. There had already been several text messages telling her that the team had a new job and it was a nasty one.  
She had worked a fair few of them, most people underestimated the attractive woman, her hair hanging down her back in a rainbow ponytail that contrasted with the black dress and heels, not that Claire was anything less than a scrapper. Plenty of criminals and most of her friends knew not to mess with her unless you wanted a stiletto in the back of the neck and your face kissing pavement. Now however she smiled at the man by the door, he too wore black, the red tie around his neck already half undone.  
“You bought coffee.”  
“Yes Gerard, I bought coffee. By the look of you, I’d say it’s needed. What we got ?”  
“Four dead bodies.”  
She rolled her eyes and they walked past the front desk, nodding to several of the beat cops as they passed and then into the lift. Gerard liked looking at Claire, she turned him on in ways he didn’t think she realised and it amused him. They had been friends a long time and he had only not made a move because he knew that playing around with your close friends was usually a sure way to end that friendship. He caught himself and smiled, the hypocrisy of that statement when he was causally fucking her ex was not lost on him.  
Claire stopped, the five polystyrene cups balanced precariously in her hands as Gerard pushed open the door to the main office. Four bodies in one night was unusual, although not unprecedented. This was when police work sucked as she thought of all the long hours to come. Gerard smiled, irresistible even when he was dead tired, like now. Claire shook her head, her friend was clearly already back on his vices, the shock of black hair wild and unkempt over his hazel eyes.  
“You gotta stop drinking on a school night.”  
“When the people stop killing each other I will.”  
Claire was about to yell at him that it was all an excuse when she saw the ops room was already filled with pictures and files. Her boss sat amid the chaos, his fro visible as he pushed paper to make more room. Frank was already pegging up pictures on the white board as they exchanged greetings and sat down. The best detectives in the precinct had a new case and it looked like a bad one. Ray knew that was why they sent this shit to him, their record in solving the city’s worst was unparalleled.  
“So is it a gang thing ? That last one was messy.”   
“No this is something different and a little worrying.”   
Ray looked at his team, they had worked together for three years now and he considered them friends as well as colleagues. Gerard was his visionary, the one that saw what others missed which worked well with Claire, her sharp mind taking them straight into the field where it fitted together. He smiled at Mikey, their cool head who made sure that it was watertight and would stand up at trial despite the tendency to go old school and beat the shit out of the scum. He also relied on Mikey to keep Gerard’s drinking under control when the older brother got too brooding. Frank was the charm and co-ordinator, keeping the brass of Ray’s back while the team worked, a guy who’s friendly smile belied a tough as nails scrapper who could be just as violent as Mikey.  
“Four bodies, one found in each of the fountains in the square. All a different m.o and no witnesses.”   
Claire considered, glancing through the photos that Ray had put in her hand. Two women, two men. Three young, one old. If not for the locations it could be completely random.  
“Any connection between the victims ?”  
Mikey shook his head, she had been up since the first call at three a.m and it was now approaching seven. The welcoming smell and taste of coffee was reviving his senses somewhat. That and the large bag of doughnuts that the boss had kindly brought with him. Mikey was neater than his big brother, his dark hair short and cut somewhat severely over the same hazel eyes. His tie was neat but his voice betrayed the fatigue.  
“Not so far. We need to look at that. We have two autopsies already in, two due to start in the next hour. Bodies were found at 1.30 am, 2.20 am, 4.40 am and just about an hour ago.”  
Gerard and Claire watched as he pointed out the four pictures.  
“Body one is Sandra Duncan, age 23. Found drowned in Union Square. We would have said accident if she hadn’t been brutally raped first. Body two is Stuart Webster age 64. Beaten to death with a blunt instrument, not much of a skull left. Body three is Jon Roberts age 26. Throat cleanly cut, no sign of struggle except for what appears to be a broken nose. Last one is Trudy Jones aged 19. Strangled with piano wire. Nasty.”  
Ray ran his hand through his hair and looked at his team again, his face serious.  
“When the press put the locations together its gonna turn into a clusterfuck. We have to be clear and careful. A coincidence is unlikely but a serial killer that appears from nowhere and strikes four times in one night is also unheard of so no assumptions. Claire and Gee, go to the last two autopsies and collate the details with the other two, we need to see if this points to one person. Frank, CCTV footage. There must be something we can start on. I’m going to look at the victims, see if there is something to link them despite appearances.”  
Frank nodded, already dialling the number of the camera company. The lack of time between murders was still enough for it to be one person although they would have had to be quick. At least one of the victims had fought back. He sighed, too much work to come and already his missed the thought of waking up with someone who could share that burden. He glanced at Claire, their break up had been hard on both of them and had led to his seeking comfort with Gerard, something that could only go badly. He ran a hand through his hair and reminded himself to get a haircut.   
Claire went over to the board, looking again at each picture in turn and the map, trying to trace the routes from one square to the next. Ray looked at Gee and motioned to the other side of the room.  
“What the fuck ?”  
Gerard shifted uncomfortably. They seemed to have had this conversation before and one too many times he had promised to get help to quit the bottle and in his own mind to quit screwing his best friend. Frank was a drug to Gee but that didn’t mean he could replace one demon with another despite the wistful glances that he could never help sending in that direction.   
“It was a few drinks with Mikey before he came to work last night. That’s all.”  
“You look like shit.”  
“I’m ok, we got a case. That always helps.”  
Ray nodded, well aware the Gee only tended to drink too much when he was bored or when the PTSD kicked in badly. There had been a lot of that since he had nearly been killed in a case that went wrong and he knew he should really get his buddy some professional help  
“Yeah, a bad one so cut it out.”  
“No problem boss, I can’t handle it as well as I used to.”  
Gerard ran a hand through his hair and sighed.  
Frank walked past, pinching his arse with one hand and hanging up with the other. There was no way he could resist a little flirting.  
“That’s because you are too old to be partying like a nineteen year old.”  
Claire giggled, her back still to them as Frank waved and left the office. Gerard smirked, enjoying the back view of his ass before joining her and Mikey at the peg board. Already the pictures spoke to him, the pale girl floating in water, the crushed and warped features of the old man, the twin smiles of the dead boy and the twisted neck of the last victim told him that this wasn’t random. A new game had begun.   
“What do you see?”  
Mikey glanced at Gerard, the concern from Ray mirrored although he loved watching his brother work.”  
“I see more killing. Whoever did this has a taste for it.”  
“Better hope we can catch them fast then.”  
Gee nodded, something cold going up his back.


	3. Breakfast

Syn was content, a smile on his face as he gazed up at the ceiling.  
Things were working out well in this new city, nobody knew who they were and nobody had connected them to the previous spate of murders and robberies in their last location. They had enough money to lie low in fact but that wasn’t Matt and Jimmy’s style. Already the plan was in motion and the previous night’s entertainment had just been a start.  
He glanced down, fingers gently trailing along Lilith’s bare shoulder. She stirred in her sleep, nuzzling against his neck. Syn was well aware his girlfriend was crazy, although it was best not to use that word to her face. Zacky had connected with her in the last sanatorium the state had tried to keep him in. Same place that had mysteriously burned to the ground with no survivors a week later. For Syn it had been love at first sight and Lilith had been useful in helping Zack keep his needs satisfied while they worked.  
He could hear conversation drifting up from downstairs and then the slam of the front door, the house they had rented was large and in the better part of town. The deposit and three months rent had been paid up front and by then they would be long gone with enough money to actually retire although he knew that wouldn’t happen. Syn shifted Lilith gently into the pillows, kissing her neck and finally managing to stumble out of the bed. The sun through the shaded windows told him it was sometime after noon and he badly needed a piss and some coffee.  
“Morning Zacky.”  
Zack grinned, already holding out the coffee mug as Syn wandered in.  
“Morning or possibly afternoon.”  
“What’s the time?”  
Zacky threw Syn his watch and went back to the paper. Like Syn he was heavily muscled and tattooed, the other man taller with sharp cheekbones and a smile that was irresistible. Zacky had the face of an angel, full lips and green eyes made him almost too pretty to be the sociopath he was but none of his friends doubted the dark side of his personality.  
“The press is all over our fun.”  
Syn downed the mug in one and refilled it.  
“Not surprised, work of art. Where’s the others?”  
“Matt and Jimmy are scoping out the banks in town. Johnny is out getting us a car.”  
Zacky stared at Syn, his eyes alight with the still present bloodlust.  
“Lilith awake yet?”  
His friend chuckled, the pair had an almost insatiable need to find trouble.  
“No and no, you two ain’t playing again until Jimmy says so.”  
“Don’t tell me you didn’t enjoy getting to let loose with the hammer.”  
Syn pulled the paper around and read the lurid headline, his mind torn between the pleasure of his memory and the information in front of him. Syn didn’t like surprises and knew that he and his friends had survived this long by being one step ahead of the game. Jimmy always left the police to him and Zack, it helped their demon focus and Syn could find dirt on anyone.  
“Of course I enjoyed it, you know I love the kill as much as you. I just prefer to stay ahead of the law and not fuck with Jimmy’s plan.”  
Zack nodded, Jimmy had never let them down so far.  
“So, usual thing?”  
Syn smirked, writing a list of interesting clues from the newspaper article. He now knew the name of the chief detective on the case and the precinct. Johnny could track down the rest of this man’s team and possibly more from the police database. Would give them a head start and simple cunning would soon mean they would know a considerable amount about the people hunting them.  
“Sure. Hunt them down and nullify the threat. You might even get a pet.”  
Zacky giggled, putting more coffee on as Lilith appeared in the doorway in nothing but one of Syn’s t-shirts and panties. Both men enjoyed the view for a minute before Syn stood, turning her face towards the light.  
“I’m going to break both Johnny’s arms.”  
“It’s not that bad.”  
Lilith smiled as he kissed the line of bruising along her cheek that radiated towards her eye. Make up would cover it up well enough and she knew that once the boys got busy with the money side of things they would soon forget to keep her on as tight a leash as they all seemed to like. She gravitated towards Zack, his smile telling her that he wanted their kind of fun.  
“What are the plans today?”  
Zack handed her coffee, amused that Syn was openly staring.  
“You and I lie low and I help Syn nail down the cops.”  
“Boring…I want to go shopping.”  
The two men exchanged a glance. Not only could that prove expensive but Lilith liked to bait the bear and Syn knew she would go back to the fountains given half the chance. He pulled her into his arms, one hand locking in her hair.  
“I will take you shopping later, you don’t get to leave the house alone until the cops are gone from our little masterpieces.”  
Lilith pouted, she had learned from experience not to cross Syn when he was in this kind of mood so acquiesced and retreated to shower and dress. Syn sat back down with Zack, the laptop put to use as they methodically searched through the press and police sites before Zack set to breaking the high level encryption codes on the police database. Syn went back to his usual morning pursuit of weapon cleaning and cataloguing until Johnny appeared.  
“Got us a decent heavy sedan. It’ll take some firepower if we need it to.”  
Syn nodded, paid to be aware of all eventualities.   
“I reckon Matt will find us some targets for a get away.”  
“They called in?”  
Zacky checked his phone, the message from Jimmy capped off with a smiley face.  
“Jimmy’s mouth is watering at the bank in town. Exactly what we thought it would be.”  
“Now that will be a good pay day.”  
The short man reached across for the coffee mugs and made more toast before slinging himself down next to his friends. He watched them work for a while before chiming in.  
“They find the bodies?”  
“No, they are all still floating about in broad daylight.”  
Zacky’s comment caused some choking from his buddy before Johnny screeched as Syn twisted his right arm painfully up his back.  
“Don’t touch Lilith again. That mark on her face makes people notice.”  
“It wasn’t that hard!”  
Syn twisted a little harder and got a louder complaint before Zacky looked up, his expression a little smug. He twisted the laptop around and pointed to the pad.  
“Start making notes. Looks like DI Toro has some interesting friends.”


	4. Autopsy

Claire and Gee made a run across to the car from the mortuary in an effort to keep the driving rain from soaking them to the bone. It had been a grim business but one that had become fairly standard in their line of work and Gee had already made some interesting deductions from what he had seen and what he had read in the other autopsy notes. He shuffled the papers, sipping coffee as Claire checked up on their missed calls and messages.  
“It’s more than one.”  
Claire glanced at him, she could see that he was on a mission now.  
“You reckon?”  
“The perp who cut the boy’s throat was left handed and fairly short. Same with the last murder but….the first two exhibited considerable strength and the blows came from the right.”  
She nodded, the old man had been beaten to a pulp without a doubt and it had been done quickly, even the first blow would have killed him. She read through another message from Frank and sighed, the rain beating against the windows just added to the chill she felt go up her back. Two killers would help explain the speed with which the murders had happened but it wasn’t exactly a comforting thought that two sick bastards were out there.  
“Bad news is Frankie says the CCTV was tampered with at each location, goes dark ten minutes before the murders and starts back up ten minutes after. He’s looking further back and at a wider cross section of the locations but it suggests that they’re damn tech savvy.”  
Gerard sighed, that was a blow. He looked again at the picture of the last victim. It was attached to another, the pretty young girl smiling for the camera bore no resemblance to the mottled blue corpse she had become and he made a silent vow to her to find who had killed her. There was something familiar about the injuries and he filed it in his mind to check out, his comment almost casual.  
“So when are you gonna tell Frank that you’re dating my brother now?”  
Claire choked on her coffee.  
“He told you?”  
“He didn’t have to. I know you both too well not to see it and you just confirmed it.”  
Claire blushed, this had been a half expected development but she wasn’t sure how to handle it without some hurt being involved for Frank. It had never been a secret that both Gee and Frank were bi and she had no problem with them getting together if that was what they wanted but all of them knew it was more complicated than that.  
“We’re taking it slow. I don’t want to hurt Frank but...”  
Gee grabbed her hand.  
“You and Mikey can date if that’s what you want. Frank will be okay with it although he still loves you.”  
Claire smiled, it had been a long term relationship and she knew that part of her would always love Frank too. Mikey was different, the dynamic of their relationship was new and exciting although she was aware that getting involved with another work colleague was a risk.  
“I wish we hadn’t broken up the way we did but he should have been honest.”  
“Yes, he should. I won’t say a word to him.”  
They hugged, both of them grateful as always for the bond between them. Gerard turned and dumped all the files on the back seat as Claire pulled the car back into the traffic. It was busy, the lanes packed with cars and lorries as they went past first one and then a second of the murder sites. All were ringed with police tape and Gee thoughtfully looked at the eerie forensics guys in their blank white suits.  
“Do you remember the Church Street case?”  
Claire frowned.  
“That was three years ago.”  
“Yeah but a killing with piano wire in a public place is rare.”  
She nodded, that had been a nasty case and one of the few that Gerard and Ray hadn’t been able to crack. She turned the car into the station and parked up, relieved to see that all the team’s cars appeared to be present. There was no doubt a press conference set up by now and the boss would need all the facts. They hurried quickly up to the office seeing Mikey and Ray laying out pictures as Frank wrote a timeline up on the white board.  
“Autopsy reports.”  
Gerard laid them out and winked at Frank, the boy needed a shave and a haircut but damn he was almost irresistible. Frank returned his smile, his gaze lingering on Claire as Mikey handed out more coffee. Ray settled back, he was keen to hear what Gee was thinking and what the bodies could tell them.  
“We have two killers here.”  
All eyes went to Gerard as he explained what he had seen in the morgue. There was now a reasonable time line but whoever was responsible had taken a hell of a risk as all the corpses had been found within an hour of being murdered. Mikey loved to watch his brother work and took a lot of notes as Ray formulated what details he could release and what they would have to hold back. It was all set to be broadcast on the evening news and he would take Mikey with him to the press conference, the calming presence usually helped when it came to getting the point across.  
Gerard left Claire in the office and headed up to the archives to hunt out the Church Street case files. He loved it up there and concentrated on searching along the racks until Frank’s voice reached him.  
“So are they?”  
“Yeah you were right.”  
Frank sighed, leaning back against the shelf as Gerard came back down and wandered over, his fingers cupping Frank’s face.  
“I think they could make it work.”  
His eyes fluttered closed, the contact as always a little intoxicating.  
“She deserves to be happy and Mikey is a good guy.”  
Gerard kissed him gently, the files forgotten as the two men embraced . Frank needed the comfort, he had been miserable since Claire had left him and it was only Gee that made it feel better even though neither of them were sure that it could be a long term relationship. Both had their issues but for now it worked and they needed each other.  
“He is but so are you, let the guilt go Frankie.”  
Frank smiled, his eyes sad.  
“I wish I could but at least we have each other.”  
“Always.”  
There was some comfort in that blissful moment and both would look back on it as a uniquely content moment in the time ahead before Frank helped Gee load up with dusty files and they headed back down to the office to keep on working on the most gruesome of jigsaw puzzles.


	5. Business

Mr Grimes, bank manager of City Central Bank smiled broadly.  
“I am so pleased to see you are interested on settling your investments with us.”  
The two men in front of him returned his smile and again Grimes thanked his luck that Mr Sullivan and Mr Sanders had come knocking on his door. Both were well known in the technology sector and their business had made nearly an eight figure sum when it had been floated on the stock exchange and yet here they were, looking to do business with him.  
“We heard this is a good town to invest in.”  
Jimmy smiled, blue eyes twinkling with amusement.  
“It certainly is. Are you looking to relocate?”  
“Maybe. We would like to investigate that eventuality.”  
Grimes’ smile died a little, Matt was wearing the intimidating look.  
“If there’s anything we can do to help…”  
Jimmy reached across and shook the man’s hand before they stood and made an exit. The bank manager was an easy target, almost too easy in fact but there was a lot of money in his vaults along with other items of interest and the fact that he and Matt were already millionaires several times over helped. By the next visit they would have Grimes showing them the vault and effectively casing his own joint.  
Matt was a little intrigued by the man, there was something there that set the alarms off and he wondered if he was crooked. Jimmy simply saw the score and wanted to add it to the tally before they moved back west. He knew that sooner or later the legit business would need attention but their hobby was so much more fun. Both men were near geniuses and had built their business from nothing, that occupying them until events a few years before had forced a change of focus that provided both entertainment and a challenge.  
“Thoughts?”  
Matt smirked, taking a lungful of fresh air before looking at his friend.  
“Gates can blow a hole in that security gate without even blinking.”  
“Does seem the security is….lax.”  
Jimmy wandered down the steps, one hand loosening his tie. Already he knew this one would provide a challenge. Anything that looked too easy usually was and he knew that Syn would have to be careful not to trip whatever hidden security there was. He made a mental note to get Johnny to accompany their friend on the next scouting mission and another to get Zack to research the layout inside.  
“They are certainly thorough.”  
Both men stopped on the corner, Jimmy following Matt’s gaze to the fountain in front of them. It was still cordoned off and he smiled, Zacky was such an interesting man to watch when the bloodlust took over and the poor girl really hadn’t stood a chance. Now he was almost curious to see how close the law would get, it was a rush and he couldn’t help but love the risk. Matt checked his phone and noted that the new profit forecast was good. He sighed, somehow his day job paled into boring when they got to indulge in their own type of fun.  
It had all started innocent enough. They had all gone to school together, Matt and Jimmy going into business soon after they left, Syn had gone into the army and Johnny had even considered a business degree. Only Zack had struggled, his mental struggles becoming more obvious despite his talents in both computing and art until the day he got committed.  
That still annoyed the fuck out of Matt. He didn’t consider that his friend was crazy despite what the doctors might say, there was method in his pretty friend’s madness that had ignited something in the rest of them. It had become a desire, to kill when they wanted and take what they wanted no matter that it could all be made easily and legally. Finding Lilith had just added to the mix and had an additional advantage of keeping Syn occupied and on board as Zacky’s best friend and sometime bodyguard.  
“We should get the kids to do something interesting on the other side of town.”  
“Jimmy nodded.  
“Another diversion can only help us.”  
“Johnny’s on his way.”  
They paused at a coffee shop, overhearing people talking about the murders in the queue and at the tables. Jimmy was interested, sometimes listening in could buy you all the information required and he did just that as Matt read through the lurid details in the paper.  
“I heard it’s a satanic thing.”  
A chubby middle aged woman behind them pulled a shocked face at her friend, Matt burying his smirk in his latte.   
“That’s sick but I wouldn’t be surprised. Kids these days…”  
Jimmy turned his giggle into a cough, eyes meeting Matt’s as they both considered what the women would do if they knew the truth. For a second Jimmy considered adding them to the list of potential toys before dismissing it. Zacky needed a plaything that would scream, Lilith just liked them to bleed. Matt answered the phone on the first ring.  
“I’m outside, bring me coffee.”  
“Shut it short shit. You get it?”  
“I got it.”  
Jimmy stood and gave the women a sweet smile which caused some blushing before they went back outside. The heat was rising, Matt loosening his tie as Johnny pulled up to the curb. Jimmy still looked immaculate and nothing like either of them normally did. Lilith had said suits did something for a man and it certainly oiled the wheels of business but both preferred the causal jeans and tee sported by Johnny, the impressive Mohawk on the short man nearly touched the roof of the car and he smirked as they pulled away.  
“What’s the score?”  
“It’s a good score Johnny, a real good score.”  
Jimmy affectionately punched the short man as they wove through the traffic and out into the suburbs before finally reaching the rented house a little way from the centre of the town. Johnny carefully pulled the car into the garage and followed his friends into the house to find that a movie was playing, only Zacky really paying attention as Lilith and Syn cuddled on the sofa.  
“Its going to be a tricky one.”  
Syn grinned, accepting a beer from Jimmy.  
“Good security?”  
“Unseen security.”  
The other man nodded, only to be expected.  
“I’ll swing by tomorrow.”  
Jimmy beckoned the men to the table, Lilith wandering from them as they went over the planned assignments for the following day. That part bored her, the money was good and she adored Syn but…it was the killing she needed and now Lilith went to find if they had brought her back something interesting, picking up the keys from the kitchen counter and wandering out to the car.  
“Oh now, aren’t you just adorable.”  
The man hogtied in the boot stared up at her with confusion and mounting terror. Lilith was all in black, a dainty doll of a girl with a sweet smile who for a moment he thought might let him go. His head was bleeding, he hadn’t seen Johnny coming up behind him and now the concussion caused his vision to blur as soft fingers ran down his face.  
“What a fun time we will have.”


	6. Pizza Night

Gerard took a swig of his beer and checked the file again.  
It still wasn’t making any sense to him, the two weeks since the spree had seen nothing unusual and he felt on tenterhooks expecting the killers to strike again. Gee had no doubt they would but it seemed they were almost waiting for something and that bothered him. There was still no connection between the victims and forensics had shown no prints and precious little in the way of physical evidence.  
“Staring at them won’t help you.”  
Claire smiled, he looked tired but so far had remained sober.  
“I’m missing something. It’s not adding up.”  
She lit a few more candles, her place was central to town and she and Gee often brought work back when they wanted a little peace from the noise of the office and the night had edged into an hour when being anywhere but home was too uncomfortable. Gerard had an apartment on the other side of town and knew that Frank would probably be crashed there by now.  
“Church Street added up, that one seems to be the same perp.”  
He nodded absently, Claire getting up to answer the door.  
“Hi babygirl.”  
“Hey, you brought food.”  
Mikey grinned, accepting a gentle kiss as Claire removed pizza boxes and beer from his arms and headed to the kitchen. Gerard smirked, knowing that Mikey hadn’t realised he was there and now his little brother was blushing.  
“It’s ok, I had kinda guessed.”  
Mikey flopped down beside him and reached for one of the files.  
“Didn’t want to rub it in Frank’s face…”  
“It’ll be fine, he wants Claire to be happy and he loves you.”  
They studied the files in silence for a while, Gerard laying out his theory that at least one of the murders bore a resemblance to a past case. Claire had found the photos and the three paused to eat, oblivious to the gory autopsy pictures and descriptions of violent death.  
“Strangulation with wire, public place but no witnesses and significant blunt force trauma. The pics are identical.”  
Mikey nodded, put side by side they were.  
“We need to comb that case again, gotta be something and it does tie in with there being two perps.”  
Gerard sat back, his eyes tired.  
“Yeah, tomorrow. I’m gonna head home.”  
Claire smiled, leaning over to kiss his cheek and offer one last admonishment.  
“No more booze, say hi to Frankie for me.”  
“Yes ma’am.”  
Mikey hugged his brother, the couple standing at the door to wave Gee off. He had looked better, the case keeping his mind from alcohol and now Claire hoped that Frank would keep up the good work. It would be one less worry and she sighed as warm hands gently caressed her neck.  
“Relax, at least we don’t have to lie now.”  
“You think Frank knows?”  
Mikey shrugged.  
“If Gee knows then it must have been a bit obvious.”  
Claire turned, her arms locking around his neck.  
“I don’t want to hurt him.”  
Mikey kissed her, a long lingering kiss that took the air out of the room. He couldn’t feel guilty about falling for his friend’s ex not matter how much he loved Frank as a brother. She was everything he had been looking for in a girl and Mikey knew that he couldn’t give Claire up.  
“He’s a big boy, he has Gee to keep him happy.”  
Claire giggled at the wink that came her way and pulled him closer, the next kiss more heated as he backed her up against the closed front door. They had been dating for a few months, sleeping together almost as long but a new dimension had crept in. She had always liked strong men but Mikey had taken that to a whole new level and she had come to crave it without even really realising it until he had explained it and now she couldn’t look away.  
“You know what I want…”  
Mikey smiled, their eyes locked as she knelt at his feet.  
“Daddy…”  
“That’s my babygirl.”  
Claire shivered, for some reason the words always had an instant effect, her skin flushing with desire. Mikey knew it, he could see the slightest shiver and fought down the urge just to take her there and then. It was more fun to make her work for it and he pointed.  
“Go strip for me. Now.”  
Claire almost whined, catching herself and escaping for the bedroom before he could threaten an exquisite punishment. She still puzzled over it, she had always thought herself a strong woman, in her job she had needed to be and had always been forthright at getting what she wanted. With Mikey though…he had allowed her to give up that control and be free of it, to feel safe in this relationship in a way that her previous ones had not. She had loved Frank, always would but not in the way she was falling for Mikey.  
The candle light made the room feel at once muted but warm, her skin prickling as she undressed. It was an agony to keep her breathing under control and she could hear Mikey pouring them both a drink, taking his time before joining her. Claire took a deeper breath, kneelng at the foot of the bed and waiting.  
“You’ll never look more perfect to me.”  
Mikey stood in the doorway, admiring her perfect pose, hands clasped behind her back. He left her there, putting the tumblers of whiskey down beside the bed and slowly stripping. He watched, a half smile on his face, to see if she would look up but she remembered his lessons, her eyes firmly on the floor until he lifted her chin.  
“Perfect.”  
“Thank you Daddy.”  
Mikey smiled, taking her hand and pulling her into his arms.  
“Now what games can we play. The whip, the cuffs? You get to decide.”  
Claire bit her lip.  
“Can we try the blindfold again?”  
“I think a little of both.”  
She giggled as he kissed her nose before guiding her down to the bed. Mikey had long since collected a vast collection of toys and had wisely started off slow. He could wait for the rougher stuff that really turned him on and didn’t want to scare Claire when she was so obviously willing to please him. She shivered as the cold metal cuffs closed around her wrists and let out a long sigh as he gently wrapped the blindfold over her eyes.  
“Now hold still.”  
Mikey left her there and went to the kitchen, searching for ice before realising that his phone was ringing on the workbench. For the moment he considered ignoring it before huffing and putting the melting cubes into the sink. It was Gerard’s number and something was making the hairs on his neck rise.  
“Gee?”  
There was a pause, his brother’s voice a little slurred.  
“They found another body.”  
“Where?”  
“Fountain number three and its bad Mikes, really bad.”  
“On our way.”  
Mikey threw the phone down and ran for the bedroom.


	7. Clubbing

Zacky lit a cigarette and paused in the doorway of the bar.  
It was late and he was wired, still on a high from dumping another corpse two nights before and it was feeding the urge to do it again. Johnny had left him an hour ago and Zack knew he should go home seeing as they were laying low till the first bank hit in two days but….  
It would have been more fun if Lilith was with him but Syn was adamant about the lying low thing much to her annoyance and he had only got out because Johnny was casing cars and liked the company. Jimmy had given strict instructions about not poking the bear but Zacky found his footsteps leading towards the latest scene just to relive the buzz. He sighed, a sweet smile crossing his face at the memory.  
To his credit the man had been strong, it had taken a week to break him and some genuine ingenuity but in the end he had screamed and begged as expected and Lilith had made him pay for keeping them waiting. Zacky loved to watch her work, the hope of rescue first and escape second when presented with his fragile playmate soon gave way to terror and he wondered if he would ever tire of it. Syn had merely been intrigued, his questions always a little tied to the bond between his lover and best friend.  
“I don’t get how it gets you off.”  
“Syn, you like killing right?”  
“As a means to an end, not for the thrill.”  
Zacky had rolled his eyes.  
“It’s all about the thrill.”  
“Lilith said the same.”  
“Lilith understands it, we need it.”  
Syn had shrugged, one hand affectionately ruffling Zacky’s hair.  
“You need my girlfriend, jeez…”  
“I love your girlfriend as a sister.”  
“Oh god now its getting kinky.”  
Zacky smirked to himself, staring across to the taped off fountain. They had indeed got a thrill from that one, the best in a while and now a part of him ached to repeat it. That would be dangerous so close to the heist and part of him was well aware that even he and Lilith were not perfect, the slightest clue could put the cops on his tail and part of him almost wanted that. Not that going back to the asylum was an option, Lilith he knew would never be taken alive a second time and that would lead Syn to do something stupid.  
He watched the cop patrolling around the fountain, a foot soldier of the enemy and still so blind. They had taken their time with the arrangement, the body roped to the fountain so that the water cascaded down it and showed the marks and scars in all their bold glory. The head had been left at the very top, a crowning achievement and an amusing joke given the corpses’ expression. All the hallmarks of the previous kills had been represented just in case the cops thought they were looking at a copycat. It would mean they would take this seriously and still be focused on it when the gang hit the bank.  
Finally Zack walked on, his mind a whirl of thoughts so that he didn’t really notice where he was headed. A couple of messages buzzed his phone, Matt checking he was ok and Johnny asking if he wanted a ride. He answered yes to the first and no to the second as he realised where he was.  
It was a non-descript building from the outside, discreet and hidden but for those who knew the delights inside. Zacky giggled, if he couldn’t have blood he could at least have sex and a pretty thing to beg him for pleasure. Male or female, didn’t really matter but he was hungry and ready to spend the night playing. For a moment he considered calling Lilith and getting her to drag Syn down to join the fun before pausing.  
It wasn’t really a night to share.  
An eerie smile crossed his face as he banged on the door.  
“Well good evening.”  
The madam smiled, she had noticed the handsome young man before and he paid well to torture the willing playthings she kept in the darkest playrooms of the brothel. She motioned towards the bar.  
“Drinks on the house Zack, the usual?”  
“Absolutely.”  
He smirked at her wink and ambled over to the bar to where a neat whiskey already sat waiting for him. Money was no issue, all of them had enough stashed away to last a few lifetimes and he enjoyed spending his share on delights of this kind. Zack knew the madam would be rounding up a few whores for him and was content to drink and wait. He was checking his phone after two more whiskies when the conversation behind him caught his attention.  
“We cater to most tastes here, anything in particular?”  
“My girlfriend is new to the lifestyle so I’m trying to show her things but slowly.”  
“Well I am sure the pleasure rooms will be a safe start.”  
Zacky drained the glass, newbies were usually entertaining so he turned slightly to see who the madam was talking to and froze. He recognised the tall man behind him immediately and now knew he was either in deep shit or had just been presented with an opportunity. As Zack lit another cigarette he followed the conversation closely while texting Lilith.  
“Great, well if I can take a look we may be back to sample the goods.”  
The madam smiled, the handsome young man in front of her had paid in cash.  
“Of course, feel free to make yourself at home.”  
Zacky watched them descend the back stairs and looked at his new message.  
“What do you mean Mikey Way is there?”  
Zack grinned to himself.  
“Just walked in. Could be fun.”  
The phone bleeped again as he drained the last of his shot and motioned for another. Clearly Lilith was both amused but wary, both of them knew that their friends would not be keen on them being that close to the enemy.   
“You go too close and Matt will kill you.”  
“What they don’t know can’t get us killed.”  
“What are you going to do?”  
Zacky didn’t respond, pocketing his phone as a young man beckoned him from the stairwell with a shy smile. He followed the twink down, his mind already full of thoughts on how to mark the pale flesh and how to engineer chatting to the detective that seemed to share some of the same tastes. Zacky could smell a weakness and intended to exploit it.  
“Slow down Jamie, you don’t want to risk a punishment already do you?”  
The boy flinched at the cruel smile that flitted across Zacky’s angel face.  
“No sir.”  
“Good because I have a task for you.”


	8. Attack

“This is a clusterfuck.”  
Ray threw down the pathologist’s report and stared around at his team. All of them looked exhausted and now it had got worse. There had been a little doubt before that the body was a copycat but that had been dispelled and Ray could see that Gerard was jotting notes down on his pad, his copy of the report spread out on the table among the coffee cups. Frank rubbed his face.  
“The wounds weren’t enough to kill on their own. They kept him alive.”  
“For over a week.”  
Claire shuddered, the stark pictures showing a multitude of wounds and bloody marks that resembled the fountains where the previous bodies had been left. It was crude but unmistakable. That and the evidence of torture pushed her mind to the clear thought that the perps were insane. Clever but fucking insane.  
“They carved pictures into him.”  
Gerard nodded, his eyes flitting to his brother.  
“They wanted to make sure that we knew. I think we can be certain now that there will be more.”  
Ray sat down hard.  
“We can’t afford for there to be more. Any ideas?”  
Frank moved one of the pictures around, pointing to a line of burns on the blood drained torso. Gerard had noted it, his mind in tune with his boy’s as they had pored over the broken corpse.   
“Acid burns. If the pathologist can narrow down the type it’s a start.”  
“It all hinges on the piano wire.”  
Ray glanced at Mikey, Gee was clearly on one of his missions and that could either keep him sober or trigger off a bad spell of drinking. Above all Ray needed the former, even more so as the battered corpse had not matched any missing person thus far. Worse, all the teeth had been removed and the fingerprints burned away with acid.  
“How so?”  
Gee drummed his fingers on the desk.  
“This bastard is playing with us. He’s struck before and now it’s that fourth fountain that will give us the clue.”  
“You said there was more than one.”  
“Definitely, possibly more than two.”  
All eyes turned towards Gerard and he smirked.  
“Someone played noughts and crosses on his back for fucks sake. However, some of the other wounds suggest strength and the ability to disable. I think we have a team here.”  
Mikey sat back, the possibility was horrible.  
“Serials don’t work together.”  
“Not usually.”  
Claire shook her head, like Mikey she didn’t want to think on that too much.  
“I have an appointment with the forensics team, see if we get any leads there.”  
Ray looked over at Mikey, the notepad now full in front of him.  
“Mikes, lets set up a press conference and see if we can identify John Doe.”  
“Sure thing.”  
Frank watched Gerard ponder as the others left. It was clear that his lover was in the zone and he loved to watch it. He had found that he could live with Claire and Mikey being together as long as he had Gerard and now wanted to make sure this case didn’t drive him back to the bottle.  
“Guess that leaves you and me on the fountains.”  
Gee smirked, leaning over to kiss Frank.  
“It’s the key baby, its gonna lead us to them.”  
“I’m gonna get shot aren’t I?”  
“Trust me.”  
Frank giggled, grabbing his coat and following Gee down to the car. He wasn’t joking, more than once Gee’s hunches had led to them getting shot at and once Frank had been hit and Claire had threatened to break Gee’s legs which had caused more pain from laughing. Didn’t alter the fact that his friend was a genius and if there was a clue there they would find it.  
Most of the interest in fountain four had shifted to two after the new body was found so nobody was around, a cold wind blowing around the stone plinth as they surveyed it. In his minds eye Gerard could still see the girls body floating in the icy cold water and he wondered again about her last moments.  
“Talk to me Frankie.”  
“Trudy was last seen at a club on ninth, three blocks away. Ten minutes later the cameras here go off. When they come back on she’s in the fountain. No evidence of sexual assault unlike body one.”  
Gerard looked around.  
“Not seen leaving with anyone?”  
“No. Had a row with a friend and left alone.”  
“Doesn’t mean the perp didn’t spot her in there.”  
Frank walked around to the other side, his normally friendly smile lost.  
“Chances are he did. CCTV again?”  
“Can’t hurt but….she was a girl on her own yes?”  
Gerard glanced at the road towards the club.  
“A girl alone and upset.”  
Frank frowned.  
“So?”  
“So what if the perp is female. Trudy was upset, she may have felt safer walking home with another girl.”  
Frank stopped, he could see that Gerard was smiling, his mind already three steps ahead. It made sense but the marks on that body….  
“So she leads the girl into the arms of the other perp.”  
“We need to check the footage again.”  
Gee’s words were cut off by a dull thump that seemed to shake the ground. Instantly screaming took up from a street or so away and both men started to run, following a plume of smoke that was now rising in the air.  
“What the fuck…”  
Frank stared, a car had exploded in front of the City Central Bank. He and Gerard ran towards it, helping passers-by pull fallen pedestrians away from the flames. One was still ablaze, Gerard pulling off his jacket to try and dampen the flames. Already people were on cell phones and he barked at one to call 911 and get fire and ambulance, knowing Frank was already calling it in to their boss.   
“Get them all back, there are people in that bank.”  
Frank nodded, his eyes smarting from the smoke. He could see scared faces at the bank door which was now blocked by the burning vehicle. Sirens started off in the distance and he coughed, grabbing Gee’s arm and pulling his friend upright from the stricken victim.  
“There’s a side door, we can get them out.”  
Gee nodded, his eyes fixed on the burned man who whimpered as others tried to comfort him. Frank was right, they needed to clear that bank before the flames caused the glass to shatter.  
“I’ll go look, pull these people back.”  
Frank nodded, motioning to a couple of people to help lift the injured away as Gee sprinted away from the heat and around to the side. The street here was empty, more of an access way than anything else and only really known to the police who had maps of the bank in case of a robbery. He paused, wiping sweat from his face and then stared.  
Four black clad figures were coming out of that door.  
With large black bags and worse, automatic weapons.  
Without thinking Gerard pulled his gun, adrenaline carrying him forward.  
“Police! Drop the weapons NOW!”  
There was almost a pause, the figures had been turning to go the other way down the alley and now the last one turned, his gun raised. Gee swore and ducked down as he fumbled for his phone. There was no time if he was going to stop the robbery so he rang Frank’s number and dropped the phone before straightening back up.  
Frank didn’t have time to answer, just heard the gunshots down the phone and started to run. Other police had arrived along with a fire truck and ambulance and he screamed at them, fear mixing in with rage as he realised that the back alley was now empty accept for one thing.  
Gee lying on the tarmac and a car screeching away at the other end of the alley.  
“Officer down. We need a medic now.”  
Gerard’s face was crumpled in pain, his breathing rapid.  
“Go after them.”  
“Shut the fuck up.”  
Frank pulled Gee’s hand away from the spreading bloodstain in his shoulder and pressed his jacket against it until a medic arrived. They shooed Frank out the way and for the first time he started to breathe a little easier before realising he would have to call it in and it needed to be Ray that heard it first. He rapidly dialled the number, his hands shaking.  
“Ray?”  
“Yeah, what’s up?”  
“Bank got hit. Gee’s been shot.”  
“Fuck.”  
The phone went dead and Frank looked back down the alley, something attracting his attention at the other end. He jogged forward, glancing back to where the medic was now pressing dressings to his lover’s shoulder. Fresh blood glittered on the tarmac and he smiled grimly.  
“Think you got one of them Gee.”


	9. Blood

“Stop panicking, not the first time I’ve been shot.”  
Syn tried to smile but it came out more like a grimace and he went back to breathing through the burning pain in his stomach. Jimmy had managed to slow the bleeding but although it had been a wild shot on behalf of the detective, it had done some damage.  
“Call Arin, we need him out here now.”  
Matt nodded, already turning away to call their go to medical man as Zack watched dispassionately from the doorway. Lilith was cradling Syn, Johnny stashing the cash before dumping the car and Zack knew he would have little time to execute the plan forming in his mind.  
“I’m fine, FUCKING HELL!”  
Jimmy winced but tightened the makeshift dressing before looking at his friend.  
“You were lucky. How you didn’t bleed out in the car was dumb luck.”  
“Just gimme the whiskey.”  
Lilith locked eyes with Zack, her fury reflected in his green eyes.  
“No whiskey yet.”  
Syn groaned, his fingers locking in hers.  
“I know, I know. Just need something to take the edge off.”  
Lilith kissed his fingers and kept her face passive. Zacky would understand even if the others didn’t that the detective would have to pay for her man’s blood with his own. She watched Jimmy give Syn what few painkillers they had before he followed Matt back downstairs. Zacky remained where he was, still silent until the door closed and he could let rip.  
“I told you to aim for his head.”  
Syn smirked.  
“Dead cop is always more trouble than its worth. This is a scratch, nothing more.”  
“He’s a dead man.”  
There was a moment of silence, Zacky smiling at Lilith’s comment even as Syn scowled. He knew only too well that without someone to reign them in his lover and best friend were liable to do something psychotic. One hand latched into her hair and he yanked hard.  
“Whatever you’re thinking, don’t.”  
Lilith simply leaned in and kissed him.  
“Fine but promise me not to start moving around until you’re healed up. I take it this means lying low.”  
Zacky sat on the edge of the bed, his thoughts escaping again as Syn nodded and relaxed back against the pillows. They had lifted more money than even Jimmy had thought and now they needed to do just what she had said and stay off the radar. Not that he believed the passive act for a minute.  
“I mean it. If either of you are thinking of starting a fucking spree then don’t because that will lead them right to us.”  
Zacky nodded, a sigh escaping.  
“Not like we are going to get the chance.”  
The door downstairs banged and Johnny appeared in a rush of footsteps and concern. Syn couldn’t help but smile at the bundle of energy that eased some of the tension as his friend flopped into the chair and motioned at him.  
“Not dead then.”  
“Fuck off gnome.”  
“Charming. You winged that cop good, from what I hear they’re operating now but he’s gonna live.”  
Lilith untangled herself from Syn’s arms, kissing his forehead as she looked down at the bloodstains on her dress. She didn’t particularly want to risk his anger, Syn could be a violent lover and it wasn’t wise to provoke him and yet…Zacky was still watching her.  
“Nothing there to link us.”  
Jimmy reappeared and collared Zack and Johnny, a plan had formed in his mind and he too knew that keeping Zacky calm now was important. So far nobody had ever linked the fact that bank jobs and murders occurred in tandem whenever they moved town and their continued safety depended on that. What mattered now was making plans to move on again.  
Lilith climbed onto the bed, snuggling against the now woozy Gates as they waited for the doctor. He liked that, the pain dying back a little at the feeling of her body against his and Syn always wanted to freeze these moments. It was easier to forget her other more darker personality traits when she was gently caressing him and he allowed sleep to take over.  
She waited, watching his face relax and content to be near him. This had been a wake up call for Lilith. Zacky had always told her that a time would come when they would have to act alone to make sure that their friends remained safe and now it seemed he had been right. They might not want to face facts but Lilith knew that sooner or later the law would catch up unless they made sure that the cops were aware that it would be a blood bath.  
An hour later the door opened again and Matt appeared. He smiled, seeing how tired and concerned Lilith looked, the blood now staining her dress in great dark patches.   
“How is he?”  
“Peaceful for now.”  
Matt put out his hand and helped her up. He embraced the girl gently and pointed back towards the door.   
“Arin is here. Let’s get him patched up and you can get cleaned up.”  
Lilith winked at him, licking her fingers as Matt grinned.  
“Do we really have to lie low?”  
“Yeah. Me and Zack are going with Jimmy to hide the cash tomorrow so you and Johnny stay here and take care of old grumpy there. You know he’s gonna bitch like mad when he wakes up.”  
Lilith nodded, smiling at Arin as he passed and then heading towards her room and the comfort of a hot shower. She could think easier there and didn’t flinch when strong tattooed arms slid around her waist and Zacky leant his chin against her shoulder.  
“You heard we’re leaving town?”  
“Yes.”  
“So if I ask you to do something for me tonight?”  
“Anything.”  
Zacky giggled, he rarely touched his best friend’s girl but there had always been a sexual side to their friendship that was different to the sex act itself and much more rooted in the need for violence that they shared. Now he kissed up her neck and spoke quietly to her.  
“You and I are going to take something from that detective and then you can enjoy yourself all you want while we’re away.”  
Lilith groaned a little at the feeling, her voice breathless.  
“I can do anything I want?”  
“Yes my love, absolutely anything.”


	10. Consequences

Mikey rubbed a tired hand across his eyes and wondered for the thousandth time just what the fuck he was doing.  
It had been a traumatic forty eight hours, Gerard had survived surgery but the blood loss had left him weak and likely to be hospitalised for more than a week which just added to the pressure of unsolved murders and now one of the largest bank heists in history. All of them had redoubled their efforts, he didn’t know if he had slept at all in the last three days and maybe that was why instead of being at work or at home he was here after a random text from an acquaintance offering a beer and company.  
Not a bar.  
Not a club.  
The little BDSM club where he had been considering bringing Claire.  
Claire herself was still at work, Frank and Ray combing the streets while Mikey had visited his brother and had been grilled despite the oxygen mask Gee was still wearing. It had amused him and somehow lifted his spirits despite Gee’s almost fevered insistence that these cases were linked. How a bank robbery and serial murder could be linked was a mystery and Gee had been admonished by the nursing staff before he could elaborate but it was an intriguing idea and now Mikey mulled it over with a beer.  
He needed a release, there was still a delicacy in introducing Claire completely to the lifestyle and Mikey knew he had been holding back on the more intense side of what he needed. Their relationship was too new, the worry in the back of his head that she might go back to Frank if she knew how hard Mikey wanted to go was always there….yet he couldn’t deny that it was getting harder to cage that side of himself and that was maybe why he was here.  
It wouldn’t be cheating if he didn’t fuck anyone.  
Just got off on the spanking, the restraints, the screaming.  
Mikey motioned for another beer.  
He knew he was trying to rationalise it to himself, knew maybe that was why he had been here a couple of times without her and had still to suggest they come down together. It would be harder to hold back here with so many toys and temptations and as much as he loved how willing she was to please him somehow Mikey didn’t want to spoil the newness of their love affair.  
“Hey buddy, good to see you.”  
Mikey glanced up and grinned.  
“Hi Zack, want a beer?”  
Mikey smirked and motioned the bartender. He had been befriended by the man next to him on his first visit when the madam had suggested he chat to some customers and get a feel of the place. Zacky was a Dominant too and had told Mikey of all the exotic delights that a man could sample if his partner was of the submissive mind. They had met up once more when Mikey had visited again and now he realised for the first time that Zack was with a girl this time.  
“And for the lady?”  
“Vodka. This is Lilith.”  
The girl dropped her eyes as Mikey glanced her way and he smiled.  
“Hi Lilith.”  
Zacky smirked, lifting the girl’s chin.  
“Relax my love. You’re not on duty just yet.”  
Lilith winked at Mikey and whispered a shy hello as the drinks appeared. Mikey couldn’t help but look at the girl and the ease with which she still held the subservient pose. He guessed that Zack would only have to say the word and she would do anything for him, his mind flashing to Claire.  
“Thought you might bring your girlfriend next visit.”  
“Sadly she’s working.”  
Zack ran his fingers down Lilith’s cheek.  
“Shame, I was kinda hoping you’d wanna play when I sent that text.”  
Mikey grinned ruefully, both men had been drunk enough to suggest it the last time they had been here at the same time. He toasted his friend, reminding himself that he should be sleeping seeing as he needed to be back at work before five am and it was approaching midnight.  
“Maybe next time but you kids have fun.”  
Zack giggled.  
“C’mon man, Lilith won’t mind looking after both of us.”  
“Thanks but I don’t think my girlfriend would appreciate that.”  
Lilith looked at him properly for the first time.  
“You don’t have to touch me sir.”  
Mikey swallowed hard, the five beers adding to the knowledge that he needed some release of tension. He didn’t have to touch, he could just watch and then maybe when he got home Claire would be there and he could make love and sleep properly.   
“You sure about this?”  
Zack had a slight look of triumph on his face and motioned to the madam.  
“Room five please Annie.”  
The madam nodded, she had no idea who the man really was but he always paid in cash and tipped generously. The dainty girl with him was well trained and now she hoped that they would add Mikey to her clientele list. She passed them the key and a bottle of the house red before the three departed.  
Zacky lead them down a deeply carpeted corridor to a room at the back of the club. It was quieter here, nobody much around as he locked the door behind them and Mikey looked around. It was the perfect game room, a St Andrews Cross in one corner and a selection of toys and bondage equipment lining the walls.   
“Lilith, pour us a drink.”  
She dropped her eyes, turning from them to open the wine as Mikey admired all the toys. Zacky watched him carefully, noting that he was drawn to the crops and flails. Lilith gave Zack a glass and then turned to Mikey, dropping to her knees to await orders. Mikey couldn’t help the frission of desire that went up his back and drank down the wine in one go.  
“Sir…”  
Zacky smirked.  
“Come here.”  
Lilith crawled to him, eyes on the floor as Mikey sat on the bed. He liked that neither of them were shy, Zacky unzipping the back of Lilith’s dress and helping her out of it. Lilith’s curves were on display, the black corset and panties contrasting against her pale skin and the silk stockings leaving a glimpse of thigh. Zacky liked showing her off before leading her to the cross.  
“Pale huh?”  
“Gorgeous.”  
“She loves a little pain too.”  
Mikey bit his lip, his head spinning a little and meaning that he missed his phone vibrating in the pocket of his discarded leather jacket. Zacky wrapped the leather cuffs around Lilith’s wrists and ankles, her face against the cold wood. He unhooked her bra and ran his fingers down the soft skin of her back.  
“What do you think?”  
Mikey couldn’t resist, his fingers reaching for a cane.  
“This one.”  
“Nice choice. Go for it.”  
Zacky passed him another glass of wine and Mikey found any last shred of nervousness had gone. He imagined Claire up there in the girl’s place, his head spinning as he ran the cane down her back and felt her shiver.  
“Hold still babygirl.”  
Zacky smirked, the intake of breath as Mikey swatted the crop hard against Lilith’s back. She wouldn’t cry out, he knew that and found he was turned on too, maybe they could prolong this a bit but he noticed Mikey was swaying and calculated he had maybe minutes before the drug caused him to pass out.  
“Do it again, she loves it.”  
Mikey felt his vision swim and put the glass down. It was his last conscious act, the dark overtaking and taking him from his feet. Zacky simply stepped over him, landing a hard smack on Lilith’s ass before releasing her from the cross. They stood together looking down at the young man who was helpless in front of them.  
“Don’t I always give you what you need?”  
Lilith smiled, her eyes alight with a peculiar madness.  
“Yes Zack, you really do.”


	11. Visiting

Ray and Frank strode down the hospital corridor, grim faced.  
Mikey had been missing for thirty six hours. Claire had assumed he had slept at work, the first warnings in her head when neither Frank or the boss had seen him since the night before were magnified when Gee had mentioned he hadn’t visited. His phone was off, his car missing and all of them had started to wonder. It wasn’t like Mikey not to check in even if he had gone chasing a lead and by the evening a little panic had sent in.  
Claire had spent a sleepless night calling his voicemail, finally driving around the streets to try to find him. Something in her head was telling her Mikey was in serious trouble and it was connected to their case. She wondered if he had stumbled onto something important, even the thought that maybe all of them were being watched before she chided herself for paranoia.  
Ray had pulled strings, both he and Frank working through the dark hours with only a precious two or three hours sleep. Soon all the uniformed officers were keeping an eye out for the missing man and it was one of those that had rung in at six am to say they had found Mikey’s car.  
Along with his phone.  
Wallet.  
Keys.  
Claire had panicked, Frank now fully willing to believe that Mikey was in deep shit and Ray had agreed. A press conference had been arranged, hopefully with the media on their side it would help at least track Mikey down to the hours after he had left the office. Only downside to that was that they would now have to break it to Gerard that his baby brother was missing, hence the visit they were now making.  
Ray smiled at the nurse as she left and then closed the door to Gee’s room. The patient was resting comfortably and Frank was amused that his lover was the only man who could get shot and actually look better for it. Being kept away from alcohol clearly agreed with him and Frank felt his heart drop at what this news might do to the fragile man.  
“Hi guys, how’s the case going?”  
Gerard knew in an instant that both men were hiding something. Frank couldn’t meet his eyes and Ray wore the look that he usually did when he had to tell someone that a family member had been murdered in a gruesome way. He took in a breath, residual pain now back to a level where he could cope and put some steel into his voice.  
“What happened?”  
Frank sat down next to the bed, Ray sighing as he looked Gerard in the eyes.  
“Mikey is missing.”  
“Missing?”  
“Thirty six hours and we found his car abandoned ten miles outside town.”  
Gerard felt his head spin, trying to comprehend it.  
“Signs of a struggle?”  
Frank shook his head.  
“No and no signs of violence.”  
Gerard pushed the covers back, his face now set in a determined snarl that caused Frank to put out a hand. Both men could see the bandages and drips were needed for a while yet and clearly Gee couldn’t be allowed back on active duty. That thought was of course confused by the utter agony of knowing they would do the same if it was their brother, indeed Ray and Frank were determined to not stop until Mikey was found.  
“Gee, c’mon…”  
“I’m gonna find my brother.”  
Gerard felt his head swim, the movement causing fresh bursts of pain as Frank hooked him under the shoulders and gently pushed him back down. For a moment Gee struggled but one look at the nurse coming back through the door made it clear that he was not going anywhere for the moment. Ray ran a hand through his hair and fixed his friend with a resolved smile.  
“We will find him.”  
The nurse hurried around making sure the IV was still in place as Gerard panted through the worst of the pain, his voice tight.  
“For all we know the perps have him.”  
“You don’t know that.”  
Gee stared at Ray.  
“You’re thinking it though.”  
Frank nodded, he could hardly deny that all of them had thought it. Mikey was too sensible to just vanish without someone else having a hand in it and the biggest case of their careers was the obvious motive even if none of them could prove it now.  
“Can’t rule it out.”  
Gerard swallowed hard, his mind racing.  
“Have we any sightings? I mean, people don’t just disappear.”  
Ray passed Gerard a picture of the car and its location. He had raised every bit of information that he could, knowing that Gerard was the most likely to see what he had missed. Within minutes it was all laid out over the bed and he was deep in thought. Frank rested back against the chair, exhaustion was creeping up but he knew that he couldn’t afford to sleep just yet.   
“Claire has pulled CCTV from her flat into town.”  
“Anything?”  
Frank smiled.  
“She’s still looking. I had to force her to sleep for an hour or so.”  
Gee nodded absently, searching the photos for anything that would lead him to Mikey. Something told him the kid was in real trouble and he could feel, just feel, that the perps had him. His hand lingered over the pictures of the car and one thing struck him right out front.  
“Frank?”  
The shorter man shook himself awake.  
“Yeah?”  
“Since when does Mikey leave his glasses in the car?”  
Ray and Frank glanced at each other.  
“Thought he used his contacts these days.”  
Gerard nodded.  
“Except when he’s been doing a pile of paperwork. He would have been driving home wearing them after all the extra hours you’ve been putting in which means if he left his contacts at work…..whoever drove that car there it wasn’t Mikey.”  
Ray immediately grabbed his phone, talking to one of the squad detectives and confirming that yes, it seemed that Mikey had been sleeping over at the office and his contacts were still in the staff shower room. Gerard continued to study the pictures as Frank phoned Claire. She sounded sleepy but confirmed that Mikey had been wearing his glasses the last time she saw him.  
“So someone took Mikey without breaking his glasses?”  
Ray nodded, hope sparking in his brain.  
“That’s a good sign, right?”  
Gerard felt cold, his mind going a little numb.  
“Unless they knew him. Unless whoever did this was hunting him down.”  
Frank shook his head, starting to pace. There had been little chance for any of them to leave the office and the nature of their relationships meant that few of them had any kind of social life beyond each other.  
“Mikey’s a quiet guy. Not like we have any secrets.”  
There was something chilling in the way that Gerard looked at both of his friends. A half smile crossed his pale features and the nurse again reached for the drip to administer more pain killers. It made him settle back but his words haunted Frank and Ray as they headed back outside.  
“Everyone has secrets.”


	12. Basements

Mikey was first aware of the cold.  
He couldn’t move, his brain fogged and slow as other senses filtered in. It was quiet, he could hear his own ragged breaths and not much else. There was cold air moving against his skin and he could almost feel the goosebumps as he tried to force his eyes open. When he did there was nothing but a blurred darkness lit by a single pool of light. Mikey blinked, forcing things into focus and immediately realised he was in a lot of fucking trouble.  
This wasn’t the room in the club.  
However there was a cross but instead of Lilith it was he that was chained there, his hands flailing useless as he took in the heavy medical restraints that strapped him helpless to the wooden structure. That was bad enough but there were small padlocks holding the buckles tightly closed with a clear zero chance of escape. He fought to keep his breathing under control as he craned his head around the room and realised it was some kind of basement or locked down room, the walls a rough concrete with the flooring nothing more than dirt. Looking down made Mikey realise something else.   
He was naked.  
Stark naked.  
Stark fucking bollock naked.  
He swore under his breath and started to struggle a little harder. Snippets of the night were coming back to him and Mikey knew he was on his own. Gerard had an idea that Mikey liked things a little rougher in the sex department and Claire had a taster but none of his friends knew about this club or any of the other fetish establishments he had frequented. He had told no one about making new friends or even where he had been going and now it seemed so ridiculously fucking stupid.   
“Hello?”  
Mikey knew his voice sounded weak and raspy, thirst now suddenly an issue.  
“Help!”  
Frustration caused pain now as he tugged and pulled on the restraints. Panic was causing some strength even though Mikey knew it was futile and he stopped as a noise filtered in. Footsteps. Someone was outside that door and Mikey waited for a moment before calling out again.  
“Hello? Can you help me? Please?”  
There was a pause before it opened and Lilith appeared in the hallway. Mikey found himself almost sagging with relief at the sight of the girl, now wearing a tea dress and carrying both a shopping bag and an armful of flowers. She smiled sweetly at him, closing the door and putting the flowers on the single chair on the other side of the room.  
“Hello Mikey, you’re awake.”  
“Look whatever you and Zack thought, can you let me down? Kinda cold and I should be going to work.”  
She giggled, regarding him wide eyed.  
“Oh yes. Work. You’re a detective right?”  
Mikey stopped smiling, something cold going up his neck.  
“How do you know that?”  
“I know a lot of things.”  
Lilith liked looking at him, Mikey was attractive and made even more so by the slight panic in his face and the way he continued to fight the shackles. It would be no fun if he gave in too easily and she badly wanted to hear him scream. It would do him no good of course, Zacky had chosen the house they used with specific requirements that even their friends were unaware of and no sounds from this makeshift bunker would filter back to the house. In her more rational moments Lilith knew this was suicidal, Matt or Jimmy would kill her and Zack both if they risked everyone’s safety and that was before Syn was done. Now though, now the bloodlust was too high and she stepped forward, running a hand over his hip.  
“Lilith, stop. Let me down.”  
“I can’t. Zacky is away and I have to make you pay.”  
Real fear tore through Mikey as he recognised a flicker of insanity now playing across her smile. He had seen that before and some of their cases sprang into mind. He tried to think of his training, anything to help him convince the girl to let him down.   
“Pay for what?”  
Lilith pouted, he was clearly going to play dumb.  
“What your brother did.”  
“Gerard?”  
Lilith stepped back, the smile returning as she went back towards a battered cupboard that stood in one corner. The drawers were full of fun things that he didn’t need to see yet but it didn’t hurt to show that she was not to be fucked with. A long bladed knife appeared in her left hand and Mikey couldn’t take his eyes off it.  
“He shot my lover.”  
There was a pause, the connection in his mind was not comforting.  
“The bank robbery.”  
Lilith smiled.  
“They have their fun, I have mine.”  
“They killed people. You have to stop this and let me down. NOW.”  
She giggled, his anger was rising and that made him all the more attractive. With a resigned sigh she ran the blade along the edge of his hip. Zacky always kept the knives razor sharp and it drew a line of blood with it making Mikey stiffen and bite back a yell of pain.  
“No.”  
Lilith let a single drop of blood drop from the knife onto her finger, tasting it as he fought the shackles again. Mikey wasn’t used to feeling this helpless and he knew she was finding it amusing to watch him struggle. Anger flooded him, blanking out the plan to coerce her into freeing him.  
“Let me down you fucking crazy bitch!”  
Lilith lashed out, his head snapping back at a forceful slap.  
“Don’t call me that.”  
“Let me go. I don’t care what fucking games you play with Zack but this is not a game. You and your pal are going to jail for a long time.”  
The rage on her face dissolved into laughter and instead of slapping him again her hand dipped further south. A hiss escaped as she ran her fingers over the dripping wound and lower. Lilith watched his face as she wrapped her hand around his cock.  
“I like playing games. They don’t always have to hurt….but then you like pain don’t you? You sure liked using that cane last night.”  
Mikey flinched back, his head hitting the wood.  
“Stop…”  
Lilith just increased the pace a little, knowing he was stiffening despite himself.  
“Don’t you wanna play with me? I could make it feel so good Mikey…”  
Mikey could do nothing but shut his eyes, desperately trying to think of every non sexy thing he had ever come across. It didn’t help that she was clearly experienced and knew just how to make him feel the pleasure rising despite himself. His voice came out strained.  
“Get off me you fucking psycho.”  
Lilith smirked.  
“As you wish.”  
This time when the knife flashed Mikey couldn’t hold back the screaming.


	13. Phone Book

Another night had passed.  
Claire was worn down physically and mentally, she had watched as Ray had made a plea to the public for help in tracking down a missing detective, all the time wondering if they were already too late. She didn’t want to even think it but it seemed too much of a coincidence that Mikey should disappear while they were looking for the worst serial killers anyone had ever faced.  
Frank was trying to be positive, Gerard willing his body to recover while nearly driving them all insane with his desire for updates. Ray had pulled strings and got all the departments motivated but it seemed like a dead end. Nobody had seen her lover, it was like he had vanished from the face of the earth.  
So now she sat alone in the office, staring at her phone and almost willing it to ring. She had Mikey’s phone in her hand, scrolling through the messages until something caught her eye.  
MEET FOR A DRINK AT EIGHT?  
Claire blinked, the message had been deleted, only remaining because the tech guys had been fiddling with the phone and it was the first time she had got it back in the few days he had been gone. Clearly they had worked their magic and she quickly scrolled to the address book. The contact was merely a letter.  
Z  
Something approaching hope bloomed even as confusion hit her mind. Was Mikey cheating on her? Claire couldn’t think of anyone with that initial and she scrolled back through there were no other messages but there was a contact number. Her hands shook as she dialled it and waited.  
“We’re sorry this line is no longer in operation. Please dial again.”  
Claire swore, dropping the phone and grabbing her own as she leant back and threw a ball of paper at the sleeping figure slumped across his desk. Ray woke up with a start, hearing only the tail end of her hurried conversation.  
“Now Frankie, I’ve got a lead.”  
“A lead?”  
Claire smiled up at Ray and tossed him the phone.  
“Mikey was going to meet someone.”  
Ray read the message, trying the number as Claire had.  
“We can get the tech guys to trace it.”  
“But who could this be?”  
Ray sat down heavily.  
“Are you sure there is nothing else you can think that he might be doing?”  
Claire shook her head, frustration sounding in her voice.  
“I thought we shared everything.”  
“It must be related, I don’t want to say this but could this…Z be a woman?”  
Ray saw the despairing look that crossed her face, his heart almost breaking in two. He loved his friends, they were not just work colleagues to him but so much more and he pulled her into a hug.  
“I know its unlikely, he’s not the type to cheat.”  
She smiled, nothing was as good as a hug from Ray when you were in trouble.  
“I would feel much better if he was. Then I could kill him myself.”  
“This is a lead. We have a chance now.”  
Behind them the door clattered open. Frank appearing in a rush and behind him a pale and unsteady Gerard. Claire and Ray immediately grabbed him, pushing Gerard into a chair as Frank threw his coat down and pulled up one next to him.  
“Before you say it, no he shouldn’t be here.”  
Gerard huffed, not willing to admit he was still in pain.  
“You said lead, I need to be here.”  
Claire quickly explained, all of them puzzling over the message and the single letter contact. Gerard was convinced that this was the lead that would bring his brother home and decided to broach a delicate subject.  
“Claire….look there is one thing I can think of.”  
Three sets of eyes turned towards him.  
“When Mikey was single he used to hang out in certain…clubs.”  
“What kind of clubs?”  
Frank noticed now that Claire was blushing and Gerard looked away.  
“Fetish clubs.”  
Frank and Ray stared at Gee.  
“Fetish clubs?”  
“Yeah, he likes things a little rough and…”  
Frank turned to stare at Claire, now seeing that she wasn’t surprised.  
“You knew?”  
Claire blushed and looked down.  
“We were experimenting with different things and he’s kinda experienced but I didn’t know about him going to clubs or anything.”  
“It stopped when you guys got together. I don’t know how far Mikey went but it makes sense that if he wasn’t meeting us he was going somewhere like that.”  
Ray rubbed his temples.  
“It narrows things down, there are only three places it could be.”  
“I don’t buy it.”  
Frank shook his head, the idea that his ex and his friend were kinky kinda turned him on and yet….  
“If this is nothing but a sex thing then it may not be the perps.”  
Gerard winced again, his face pale.  
“Isn’t that a good thing?”  
“It’s a hell of a coincidence.”   
Ray stood, striding over to his desk to grab the city maps. Soon they were deep in discussion, the exhaustion of the last few days forgotten in the adrenaline rush of finally having a clue. For the next hour they made notes and a plan for the day. Finally Claire went to make coffee, trailed by a tired but hopeful Frank.  
“You okay?”  
She turned back to him and he noticed her eyes were wet.  
“He lied to me.”  
“You don’t know that.”  
Claire turned back, her fingers drumming the kitchen surface.   
“He didn’t tell me about meeting….Z”  
Frank reached out, gently wiping the tears from her face.  
“It could all be completely innocent but it’s a lead.”  
“What if he’s cheating on me?”  
Frank reached out and pulled Claire too him, kissing her forehead as she relaxed against his chest. He fought back the desire and the immediate sorrow that he had lost her, his voice soft.  
“I don’t believe that. Mikey is a good man, an honest man.”  
Claire closed her eyes.  
“I just want him home.”  
Frank nodded, content to hold her. He could see Gerard smiling at him and returned it, the confusion in his heart hidden for now as he considered what they should do next.  
They had a lead.  
Maybe a phone number.  
But it had been days and something in him told Frank that Mikey was in serious trouble.  
If not already dead.


	14. Coming Home

“What the fuck did you do?”  
Lilith tried to scuttle back out of reach, her hand pressed to the reddening mark on her cheek where Matt had backhanded her. The fact that he now merely leant down and picked her up rather than letting her speak told Lilith that he and Jimmy were seriously pissed off. Zacky had come in the room behind them, relaxed with his hands in his pockets as he winked at her.  
“I didn’t do anything!”  
“One of the fucking detectives is missing. Something of a coincidence?”  
Matt shook her again, Johnny now looking confused at why they had gone for Lilith within minutes of getting back. Jimmy wasn’t stopping it, merely watching as Johnny grabbed his arm.  
“What’s going on?”  
Jimmy walked over to where Matt still held Lilith, running gentle fingers down her cheek before turning to talk to Johnny over his shoulder. It had been a long day and night of driving and they were all exhausted, compounded into anger by hearing the news over the car radio.  
“There was a press conference, Mikey Way disappeared two days. Now I wanna know if this lunatic here had something to do with it.”  
Temper flared in Lilith’s face and she struggled more against the iron grip Matt now had on her hair. The fact that Zacky wasn’t intervening pissed her off but he had told her repeatedly before leaving that no matter what she must give nothing away. She pouted at Johnny.  
“Tell them, I haven’t left the house in two days bar when you’ve been with me or I’ve been with Syn.”  
“Matt, let her go. Its true, she’s been here the whole time.”  
Matt just smiled, Jimmy turning back to his friend.  
“The whole time?”  
Johnny shrugged, he had been in and out it was true but never longer than an hour and he couldn’t think that Lilith would have had the time or means to go grab herself a cop. Zacky leant back against the wall, hiding his amusement. The press conference had shown him a desperation in the opposition that could be exploited and he had already talked Jimmy into potentially staging another bank job before they skipped town.  
“Sure. Ask Syn.”  
Lilith looked Jimmy in the eye, the bruising starting to show on her face.  
“I was gardening a lot. Had a therapist once that recommended it.”  
Zacky giggled.  
“Wasn’t that right before you stabbed him in the face with a biro?”  
“Yeah I think it was…”  
Matt rolled his eyes and pulled at her arm.  
“Let’s go check this out with Syn.”  
Johnny trailed after him, Zacky watching the three men leave the room to go upstairs and waited for a few minutes before heading to the back door. It was risky, it had always been risky but somehow Zack couldn’t help himself plus it kept Lilith out of trouble while they hid.  
It was easy and quick to be out of sight in the sprawling garden and he could see where Lilith had been clearing the rose beds, a decent cover-up indeed and Zacky resolved to apologise to Lilith for being on the receiving end of that brutal slap. He checked over his shoulder before unlocking the door to the concrete bunker that was nestled in the trees.  
“Well hello Mikey….”  
Even Zacky had to wince. The kid was curled up on the floor, a mass of cuts and bruising down his arms told him that Lilith had gone hard on him. Mikey seemed to be out, not moving even when Zacky checked the chains that pinned his ankles to the floor. At least the water bottle was empty and he took a moment to roll the boy onto his back and check for a pulse. Long thin cuts ran down his chest. Zacky sighed.  
“She does so love the blood…”  
Mikey groaned, realising as the room faded into focus that it wasn’t all some nasty surreal nightmare. Pain came into sharp focus too and his confusion meant that he didn’t struggle when Zacky helped him to sit up.  
“Take it easy.”  
“Zack? Jesus, you…gotta help me…”  
Zacky smiled reassuringly, feeding Mikey some more water before dragging him over to where he could prop the injured man against the wall. Mikey was disorientated, pulling away as he remembered the club. He fixed his captor with a hard stare.  
“Let me go. I don’t care what fun you think you’re having but you and that crazy bitch need to let me go. I’m a police officer…”  
“Oh I know who you are.”  
Mikey stilled, fresh horror fighting with the pain.  
“You do?”  
Zacky settled back, searching Mikey’s face before shrugging.  
“Your friends are looking for you and don’t call Lilith crazy…it upsets her.”  
The look on the chained man’s face forced a giggle, Zacky reaching back to grab his bag. There were many angles to his plan and this would be a triumph if he got it right. Might kill them all if not but…he had listened to the press conference closely and could guess that they had not yet made the connection between Mikey’s disappearance and the murders or the robbery.  
“She’s a textbook psychopath, no control and no disregard for rules. It can be exhausting keeping her amused believe me.”  
Mikey stared at the man in disbelief, fighting to stay conscious.   
“Please, let me go.”  
“I can’t just yet but I can help with the pain.”  
Mikey tried to fight, a hard slap causing his head to ring. He couldn’t stay awake, the room swimming in and out of focus and only the new sharp pain in his arm caused him to look down to see that Zack had quickly fixed up a tourniquet and stuck him with a needle. He tried again to protest before a rush of well being seemed to flood his system and the pain faded back. Mikey tried hard to find words but couldn’t, quickly sliding back down into the dark.  
Zack released the tourniquet and smirked. A pretty little drugged up pet would be fun and then he would let Lilith play again. It wouldn’t take long to break the boy and Zack wondered what his brother would make of it when they finally sent Mikey home.  
The perfect, broken slave.  
Maybe even broken enough to turn on them.  
Zacky considered it a moment longer, his fingers running along a particularly deep cut across Mikey’s stomach. He was pretty, it made him want the boy for other things seeing as Zacky would probably never have the one person he had always wanted. He had accepted it a long time ago but Mikey’s chiselled good looks reminded him too much of Syn and finally Zacky had to look away.  
Mikey didn’t move, too lost in the effects of the drug to notice that Zacky had chained him again and now left him alone again in the bunker. Escape was unlikely and his fogged brain tried to remember the features of his tormenters. Mikey was determined to survive.  
One way or another.


	15. Come Undone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soundtrack is the track by Duran Duran of the same name....

“Anything?”  
“Nah, left a card though.”  
Gerard sighed, stretching a little and trying to ignore the urge to take more painkillers. He and Claire had been out checking out the three fetish clubs in town and so far they had jack shit to show for it. The rain had started to fall again and Claire broke into a run, easily beating him to the car.  
“C’mon Gee, you know they weren’t gonna admit having a cop in their premises to our faces.”  
He shook rain from his hair and grinned.  
“If Mikey was going to that last one then I’m kinda not surprised.”  
She pulled a face at him, her voice light.  
“I promise we’re not into rubber.”  
“I always wonder what that sounds like….”  
Now Claire did laugh in earnest, almost feeling guilty when she thought of Mikey but a little more confident that at least they had a lead. A vague lead but still better than struggling under the dark clouds of nothing that had been the days prior. Ray said forensics had lifted a partial print from the car that wasn’t Mikey and even as they spoke Frank was out checking out several leads from people that had phoned in after the press conference.  
“Are we getting close?”  
Gee shrugged, his hands flitting through copies of the autopsy photos. He knew the only way to find his brother was to keep at it, doggedly, until they got that break. No matter how the others felt he was convinced it was connected to the murders and that scared him most of all.  
“I think we are closer, still…FUCK.”  
Claire jumped, the car brakes screeching them to a halt at the bottom of the car park. She stared at him, the flush in his face made her think his injuries were causing him pain until he pointed to something on the picture.  
“How did I miss this…”  
She looked, not seeing it the first time until a horrific realization crept up her back.  
“Is that…”  
Gerard nodded, laying the photo on the dashboard and leafing through the photos until he could lay all four of the original victims autopsy photos along with it. He kept looking, Claire helping him until four specific photos lay side by side. For a moment neither could speak. All showed a single letter, all in the same place on the hip of each corpse. It was tiny, easily hidden among the blood, wounds and bruises but there none the less when you knew what to look for. Claire felt dizzy.  
“Z….a signature?”  
Gerard nodded slowly, his worse fears confirmed.  
“Mikey wasn’t taken by accident. They have him.”  
“We need to show this to Ray.”  
Claire started up the car again, swinging out onto the rain soaked street as Gerard phoned ahead and briefed the boss on what they had found. It was nearly one a.m. and neither had slept much in the last few days. Ray told them to go home, there was nothing they could do for now and reluctantly Gee agreed, he knew they would have all the information in one place and be able to decide what to do next.  
“Frank’s gone over to the FBI with the leads, he’ll be back tomorrow afternoon.”  
“Thanks Ray, will you call him?”  
The tired voice giggled, he knew Frank would be just as worried as Gee.  
“Yeah, now go home.”  
Gerard hung up, turning to Claire.  
“We got orders to sleep.”  
Claire half smiled, Ray had been increasingly worried that all of them would burn out. She equally knew that what she was about to suggest would be the one thing Ray wouldn’t want her to do.  
“Sure, you wanna crash at mine and have a drink?”  
Gerard chuckled.  
“Hell yeah, I love Frank but he worries too much.”  
“One drink Gee, I don’t want an irate Frankie banging on the door.”  
She giggled as he kissed her cheek and turned the car back towards town. Soon they had a takeaway from the only place open and had settled into the sofa at Claire’s, a generous whiskey in front of them.  
“Why take Mikey?”  
Claire looked closely at Gee, the question had been hanging over both of them and now he picked up another pizza slice before answering. It had bugged him and there was only one scenario he could think of.  
“One can only assume wrong time and place. Or they were stalking him. I don’t know that it wouldn’t have been any of us given the chance.”  
“Still a hell of a risk to take.”  
He nodded, pouring them both another drink.  
“It does mean he’s alive.”  
Claire sat back, she was somehow reassured by the certainty in his voice. Gerard was never wrong with his hunches and she clung to it now. There was something in her that agreed although she knew that whoever had Mikey wouldn’t risk keeping a cop hostage for long.   
“For how long?”  
“I don’t know. Long enough for us to find him. Its what they are doing to him…”  
She put the drink down, leaning across to grab his hand.  
“Mikey’s strong, he’s waiting for us to find him and we will.”  
Gerard smiled sadly, his fingers running along hers.  
“I’m still missing something Claire, I know it.”  
“We WILL find him.”  
There was a moment’s pause, their eyes meeting and Claire couldn’t help it. She leant into him, hands now running up his chest to cup his face. Gerard knew it was wrong, it had always been wrong but there was no resisting it and he kissed her, softly at first until she was in his arms properly. The kiss deepened, some comfort for both of them until she pulled away.  
“We said it was over.”  
Gerard nodded, this weird affair thing had been going on for too long. Back to when Frank and Claire had split up, before he had started sleeping with Frank and she had started seeing his brother. It wasn’t love, just some lust and a comfortable friendship that had turned slightly into something both knew was a bad idea. Now it was more about their shared worry and the need to feel a warm body.  
“I know. I just…”  
Claire shrugged, not pulling away as Gerard kissed her again. The feel of his arms around her was too much like almost having Mikey back and it made the kiss rougher, tongues and lips clashing until they were sprawled over the sofa. Gerard liked that, fingers fumbling to undo the buttons on her shirt as she kissed his face, his lips, his hair. Part of him knew she was thinking of Mikey but it didn’t seem to matter.  
“Fuck me Gee, I need you.”  
“Claire, should we? I mean…”  
A hand in his hair stopped him pulling away and he gave in, groaning as his fingers delved into her bra and she bucked underneath him. It was good to stop thinking, clothes soon shed until both were free and she was astride his lap, his cock deep inside her as Claire threw her head back and enjoyed the ride. Gerard loved it, his hands clamped on her hips and controlling the pace. He took her to the edge before pausing and slowing the pace, pulling her against his body as they kissed again and half caught their breath. She looked almost dreamy, the rising blush on her skin as he switched their positions and lifted her off him before turning her body onto the sofa and lifting her legs so he could pound her. Claire knew she was almost screaming, the pitch of her moans getting higher and higher until the orgasm was forced from her, his smile strained and triumphant. She let him enjoy it, feeling him cum inside her and gathering him tighter, his head resting on her chest as they both came down from the high.  
“We will stop. When we find him.”  
Gee smiled sleepily.  
“Sure thing and thank you.”  
Claire giggled, kissing his forehead as his phone began to ring.  
“My pleasure. Now go get that.”  
Gerard smirked, rolling off her to grab his phone from among the pizza boxes. He didn’t recognise the number, only half listening as he answered it.  
“Hello?”  
“Is this Gerard Way?”  
“Yeah, can I help you?”  
Gerard sat up, motioning to Claire as the voice on the other end of the line became a little hesitant.  
“My name is Jamie. I think I know the man who took your brother.”


	16. Young Gods

“Zack, finish it off before it gets us killed.”  
Zacky smiled to himself as Lilith stormed past him and headed back towards the house. She was pissed at him, both for not intervening when both Matt and Syn had got physical with her and for not listening to her pleas. He understood it but somehow the broken boy sobbing on the floor amused him more.  
Mikey looked up, his eyes dull as Zack patted his head.  
“She wants me to kill you.”  
“So do it.”  
The other man shrugged.  
“I don’t want to.  
Mikey shivered again, he had lost track of what day it was, his mind enflamed by pain and yet shrouded by a drugged fog. He couldn’t remember if help was coming or not, knowing only that Lilith was going to kill him if he couldn’t persuade Zack or find his own way out.   
“So let me go.”  
“I can’t do that either. It’s a quandary.”  
Zack watched as Mikey crawled closer to him, the chains slithering along the concrete floor. There were fresh cuts and burns littering his torso but Mikey’s hands were gentle as they stroked up Zacky’s thighs.  
“I’m hardly going to tell. I have no idea where I am and quite frankly, I’m not interested. I can fob the others off, they don’t even know about the club.”  
Zack grinned, one hand locking in Mikey’s hair and pulling him up until the two men were face to face.  
“Baby, you can sweet talk all you like.”  
Mikey smirked, accepting the rough kiss before Zacky turned away.  
“Besides, a few more things to do before we leave and I think about letting you go.”  
“Like what?”  
Mikey stepped back, anticipating the slap before it landed although the force of the blow still knocked him from his feet. He stayed on the floor breathing through the pain as Zacky left fresh food and water before heading out into the sunshine. The next raid was planned for the following day and he knew that he had lied to Mikey, Zack would have to let the boy die and it saddened him.  
“Where you been Z?”  
Syn was standing near the house, one arm still protectively around his ribs although he could now move around. It was good to get some fresh air after weeks in doors and he matched his friends smile as Zacky ambled towards him.  
“Admiring Lilith’s gardening. Its quite impressive.”  
“She’s a girl of many talents.”  
Zacky giggled, accepting a beer from his friends.  
“She also won’t stay quiet forever, we need a kill.”  
Syn smiled, he had a feeling both his friends were hiding something and was now on a quest to find out what. He wondered why they always underestimated his intelligence, Jimmy was more than aware of it and had tasked him to find out if there was really no connection between his favourite psychopaths and the missing detective.   
“So lets go out tonight and find one.”  
“Before the robbery?”  
Syn nodded.  
“I think Matt and Jimmy would rather Lilith is occupied right now.”  
There was a pause, both men considering their options.  
“Syn, you trust me right?”  
“Of course.”  
Zacky paused.  
“This whole thing with Mikey Way missing made me think. Someone removed one brother, we should take out the other.”  
Syn choked on his beer.  
“What the fuck?”  
Zacky merely smiled, he had been getting Mikey to talk about Gerard.  
“Look at the evidence, the elder brother is the brains in their outfit.”  
Lilith appeared beside Syn, her face bruised.  
“What are you two conspiring about?”  
Both men turned to take the girl in, she was angry that much was clear and Zack was aware that putting any idea in her head about Gerard Way would probably be a bad idea. Syn was just amused and a little turned on, he liked reminding his girl who was boss occasionally.   
“Taking in the air babe, be moving on soon.”  
Syn kissed her, one hand caressing her back.  
“Good. It’s boring here.”  
“Can’t fill any more fountains.”  
Lilith knew they were both hiding something, a plan of her own forming in her mind. She turned on a sweet smile, content to rest in Syn’s arms as he and Zack discussed the upcoming robbery. By the time Jimmy joined them all grievances had been forgiven and she listened in amused.  
“This bank holds twenty million in bonds.”  
Jimmy looked jubilant, an even bigger score and well hidden until Matt had tracked it down. He couldn’t resist the temptation, Matt more cautious but willing to give it a shot just for the thrill. Already Johnny was out scouting cars with the big man. Syn grinned as Jimmy waved his bottle around.  
“After this we need a vacation.”  
“Somewhere hot.”  
Zack pointed at Lilith.  
“Bikini hot.”  
“I am not giving up my goth paleness for you lot.”  
Both Syn and Jimmy tried to keep a straight face.  
“Could take you big game hunting.”  
Now her face did brighten.  
“You’d let me have a gun?”  
Zacky winced, not as thrilled at that thought as his friends seemed to be. He steered them all indoors, the men soon involved in going over the plans. Johnny and Matt had now got them a car and the weapons came out, none of them noticing as Lilith slipped away and back into the garden.  
To be honest she was pissed.  
Certainly not in the mood to be their punch bag.  
An eerie smile lit her face as she let herself into the bunker and stared down at the sleeping man. Mikey had been their captive for nearly three weeks and she looked at the changes that had seen him go from calm and logical law man into Zacky’s addicted pet and her own toy. There was a vulnerability there that called to the less sane part of Lilith’s brain and she kicked him awake.  
“Mikey?”  
He took a shuddering breath, fear blooming in his eyes as he focused.  
“What?”  
“Its time to say goodbye.”  
Mikey took a deep breath, he couldn’t see a weapon but the clear insanity on the girl’s face suggested she may not even need one. He was chained securely to the floor, the chains around his ankles meant he was effectively hobbled and the restraints around his wrists allowed only a little more movement. Combined with his injuries he knew he was at a disadvantage.  
“You gonna kill me Lilith? Kill a cop?”  
She giggled.  
“You wouldn’t be the first. Did Zacky tell you we burned down a sanitarium once?”  
Lilith walked past him and over to the dresser, removing a long bladed knife, Mikey’s eyes now fixed on it as she stalked him. The atmosphere in the bunker seemed to get heavier as he tried to keep out of reach.  
“You could let me go. I would tell them all this was down to Zack.”  
Lilith rolled her eyes.  
“I’m not stupid.”  
“I swear to you, you can walk away.”  
She didn’t bother to say more, easily catching the young man by the hair and pulling his head back. Lilith wanted to savour it, an almost sexual thrill at the terror in his eyes and the short harsh breaths as he tried so hard not to panic. The knife hovered an inch above the vein in his neck.  
“I will always walk away, they don’t realise that. Goodbye Mikey.”  
He closed his eyes, Claire’s face and his brother’s flashing across his brain. There was a pause before a sharp jolt and Mikey ended up on the ground. His head hit the deck hard and it made his head ring, a male voice he didn’t recognise was yelling, Lilith yelling back before he could focus.  
“Jesus, what the fuck is this?”  
Lilith was holding her bleeding hand, glaring balefully at Johnny as he took in the bunker. He had followed her on a whim and this was so much worse than what he had thought. Johnny was in the game for the money, not so much to watch men die and now he wondered just how bad the man in front of him was hurt.  
“None of your business.”  
“If Syn finds out he will break your neck.”  
Lilith snarled, the knife back in her hand before Johnny realised it and lashed out. It was a hard punch and the girl went down, out cold as Mikey just stared. He felt cold and shivery, unsure as to whether the young man in front of him was rescue or just a different person to kill him. Johnny checked that Lilith was still breathing and then looked at Mikey.  
“I’m gonna blindfold you and dump you far from here. You come looking for us and I let the crazy bitch finish the job.”  
Mikey nodded eagerly.  
“Fine…but why?”  
“I’m not a murderer but my friends are.”  
Mikey dared not say any more, almost grateful for the blindfold and Johnny to lean on as they half walked, half stumbled towards the car. Johnny himself was terrified, it was one thing to risk Lilith’s anger, not much she could do to him while the others were in the dark. He was more worried about getting the cop as far from them as possible while the boy was still alive.  
Nobody in the house noticed the stolen car pull away.


	17. Holding On

Gerard was frozen.  
He couldn’t move, couldn’t blink or even it felt, take a breath. All he could do was stare. The joy that that he had felt when Ray had arrived on his doorstep that morning was gone. Destroyed by what he was seeing in front of him and only the one thought in his head was stopping him from screaming.  
Mikey is alive.  
Ray was beside him talking to the doctors, Frank somewhere nearby calling Claire as all of them tried to take in this latest development. Ray had taken the call, Mikey had been found wandering the streets, dazed and only half conscious. He hadn’t been able to tell them whether he had been released or escaped, hadn’t been able to say much at all before passing out and now Gee caught pieces of the doctor’s words as he watched his baby brother.  
“Several broken ribs…” “Possible skull fracture…” “lacerations…” “bruises…” “burns…”  
Gerard snapped back in focus, turning to the doctor.  
“Is he going to die?”  
The man paused, Ray was pale and concerned for Gee as much as Mikey.  
“The next twenty four to forty eight hours is critical. Whoever did this to him has pumped him full of drugs. Right now they might kill him rather than the injuries but we are doing the best we can.”  
Gerard turned back to the window, wordless.  
He could see every mark and burn across Mikey’s torso, both his eyes blackened and shut as tubes and an oxygen mask obscured his face. It was worse than Gee had expected even in the worst of his nightmares and he knew that he would hunt down and kill the bastards one by one.  
“Can I go in there?”  
The doctor nodded.  
“Of course, talk to him. It may help pull him round.”  
Ray steered the doctor away as Frank appeared and Gee quietly went to sit beside his brother. Claire came around the corner breathlessly, almost screaming as she saw Mikey and started to understand what Frank had said when he had called her saying it was bad.   
“Oh my god…”  
Frank caught her as Claire’s knees gave way and hugged her tightly to him. His eyes were fixed on Gee, this would either tip him further into the bottle or put him on a collision course with insanity. Neither was a comforting thought. Ray put a hand on Claire’s shoulder, looking back at the doctor.  
“Did he have anything on him when they brought him in?”  
“Just a blanket.”  
“Did he say anything?”  
“Just mentioned two names. Zacky and…Lilith I think. I have to go check on him.”  
Ray thanked the man profusely and waited until he was out of earshot before turning to his friends. There was no way that the perps had let him go and that meant Mikey had fought his way out. A sense of pride welled up in him as Ray helped Frank sit Claire down and they huddled together.  
“Zacky. Same name as the kid gave us.”  
Frank nodded.  
“And now we have another name. Need to run the two together, see if we get a hit.”  
Claire glanced again at the window. Jamie had turned out to be a scared hooker who would only talk if he was promised some help to leave the city. He hadn’t known this Zack guy well but was terrified of him, telling them that the man had a taste for the sexually sadistic and was brutal if crossed. It had been frightening enough then but to see the results on someone she loved was worse.  
“Did Jamie mention a girl?”  
Frank nodded.  
“In passing. We have a brief description and not much else.”  
Ray sighed.  
“It’s a start. I’m getting a guard detail down here to make sure Mikey stays safe.”  
“We need to watch Gee.”  
Both of them turned at the tired anxiety in Frank’s voice. The short man looked exhausted, his normal sweet smile lost in the midst of stubble and fatigue. Claire knew he hadn’t slept in days and took his hand.  
“You need to sleep. I will take first watch with Gee and you can collect him later.”  
Frank smiled, squeezing her fingers.   
“Thanks. You need sleep too.”  
“All of us need sleep but Claire’s right, nobody stays here alone.”  
Ray was determined not to lose more friends and hurried away to arrange security and phone his wife to say he was staying yet another night in the office. Claire and Frank remained, still holding hands as the clock on the wall ticked closer to midday.  
“Is he going to die?”  
Frank winced at Claire’s echo of Gee’s earlier question.  
“Doctor said the bastards have been drugging him. That’s apparently the more dangerous part of this right now.”  
Claire swore under her breath, clearly Mikey had been through hell and only luck had brought him back to her. She knew that Frank was right, Gee would not consider this all too personal and most likely to rogue to track the perps down if they didn’t keep a watch. Frank could only think that he had her back close to him and then swallowed down the guilt.  
“Let’s go see him. If we’re allowed.”  
There didn’t seem to be any doctors in the room so both slid through the door and almost tiptoed to where Gee sat, his hand in Mikey’s. Somehow Claire thought the damage close up didn’t seem as bad, it was still her boy there and he just looked so young and so tired under all the bruising. Frank could only stare at the brutality of every mark and scar on his friend.  
“How’s he doing?”  
Gee looked up, trying to smile despite his teary eyes.  
“He’s fighting. He’s gonna get through this.”  
“He’s one tough bastard, always has been.”  
Claire took the chair on the other side of the bed, tenderly stroking Mikey’s arm as Frank put a hand on Gee’s shoulder. The other man visibly relaxed, grateful that he had his friends around him because despite his words Gerard was terrified that his brother wouldn’t make it.  
Mikey looked peaceful enough, the machines keeping up a reassuring beep and for the next hour they sat with him, content to keep the boy within view as the nurses bustled in and out. Claire kept them and the policemen that arrived outside served with coffee and even Gerard had to admit that coffee was better than alcohol in this situation.  
“He doing ok?”  
Ray’s fro arrived before he did, gratefully accepting a coffee too.  
“Hanging on. Nurses said his stats are improving.”  
Ray smiled, any news like that was good.  
“Ok, we got a lead.”


	18. Loose Ends

“Guys….its been five minutes. Got a bank to rob y’know…”  
Zacky grinned at the smirk on Jimmy’s face as Lilith and Syn finally came up for air. The boys were armed to the teeth and in black, Matt helping Johnny to heft the last of the weapons into two cars that would provide both transport and escape. With no help from Syn who had been kissing Lilith like his life depended on it.  
“My back is killing me, should sit this one out.”  
The smug smile on Syn’s face told them all just why his back was aching as Lilith went to sit on the back steps of the big house. She was calm, too calm and Zacky didn’t like it. Despite the heat of the day he shivered and chewed on his lip ring as Jimmy went over the plan again.  
“We need to be quick on this one, it’s a larger bank than we normally hit which means more security. Gates, no theatrics. Matt, you got the shape charges?”  
“You know it. Let’s do this and get out of town.”  
Zacky watched Johnny nod, his friend sending a smile his way.  
“A long way out of this town for sure.”  
Syn clapped the shorter man on the shoulder.  
“You worry too much short shit. Vacation time is nearly here.”  
There was a flurry of activity, weapons checking and more tactical talk that Lilith chose to ignore. She had been biding her time, a plan forming in her mind that even Zacky didn’t need to know about and it all hinged on being put into operation during the heist. Johnny and Zack had passed off her bruises and cuts from Mikey’s rescue as a bad fall and she had played along, allowing Syn to take care of her for the two days leading up to the heist. Now she watched them all, Johnny still avoiding her eyes.  
“You behave while we’re out.”  
Lilith looked up at Syn with a loving smile.  
“Of course. Be safe and come back to me alive.”  
“I’m invincible baby.”  
He winked at her, putting an arm around Jimmy as they head for the car in front. Only Zacky paused, waiting for his friends to get in the vehicles before speaking. He knew Johnny wouldn’t rat them out, the two men had had an earnest conversation on the subject once Zack had explained that Mikey’s kidnapping had been a way to keep the girl quiet. Johnny had been well aware of the consequences of either Matt or Jimmy finding out, Syn’s reaction would literally terrify him. There had always been a brotherhood between the men and Johnny would keep the secret. It was Lilith that bothered him.  
“Whatever you’re planning. Don’t.”  
She kept her face composed, a little brittle anger breaking through.  
“He can identify us.”  
“He was half dead and out of his head on smack. He won’t know his own name even if he’s still breathing.”  
Lilith stared up, her eyes wide.  
“So we let him live?”  
Zacky smirked, pushing his automatic up to his shoulder as he turned back to the car. Already the engines were revving and he knew the boys wanted to get this over with.  
“Even gods can be merciful sometimes.”  
Lilith watched them leave, turning back into the house with purpose. Zack might find amusement in loose ends but she didn’t and the mere thought of the police somehow finding them and hurting her boys was enough to make Lilith fucking pissed off. She went upstairs, gathering a bag of clothes and a sharp blade before quickly exiting the house and heading for the bus stop. None of the men were stupid enough to leave a car around when she was alone.  
The city was a half hour away and she timed it, the raid would take time to set up and execute, the gang would not return until the evening so there was time to execute the idea that had been brewing for a while. Lilith knew it was dangerous, more so given that the person she was aiming for was likely under armed guard.   
A challenge.  
Something of her own to pull off while they were busy exercising their testosterone and it made her giggle. Nobody took any notice of the girl on the bus and she easily found the huge hospital, following all the other nurses, visitors and staff inside. Lilith had made a note from the news of the outside of the building even if the name had not been mentioned and knew she was in the right place.  
Lilith waited, patience available when needed until she recognised a figure crossing the vast expanse of the tiled concourse. She had studied all the detectives from Matt’s research and recognised Frank Iero immediately. He was cute, something about him reminding her of Zacky and so she followed him to the lifts, waiting just a foot behind him until the doors opened.  
“Hi, what floor?”  
Lilith smiled, her hand hovering over the buttons as Frank leant against the wall of the elevator.  
“Fourteenth, thanks.”  
She stabbed the button and stepped back as the door closed. There were no other occupants in the lift and it was easy for her to look him up and down, noting the holstered gun and the radio on his belt. Frank thought the young nurse was pretty and gifted her his sweetest smile as the lift door opened.  
Lilith liked his smile, noting that it would be shame to have to hurt him as she let the lift go up two more floors before exiting. This floor was quieter and less crowded, several minutes elapsing before she located a suitable target and set about the plan. It took less than five minutes for there to be a dead woman under the mass of blankets in the store room and for Lilith to be in possession of a key card and nurses ID. It would pass a cursory glance and she hoped that would be all that was needed.  
The fourteenth floor was quieter still, marked as intensive care and Lilith was careful to make no move towards the beds until she could figure just where Mikey Way might be. The hospital smell made her nervous, memories of drugged hazes and violence clouding her mind until she spotted Frank over to one side-room talking to an officer. The man was nodding and she waited until Frank moved away again before picking up a tray from a trolley and heading towards the room.  
A doctor nodded to her and she forced a smile, taking a slightly altered route as she spotted several more officers. It was a rush, to kill one of their own under their noses would be something even Zack and Syn couldn’t boast of. The ultimate kill to rival all their pretty work at the fountains. It was an almost sexual boost and she shivered, pausing to speak to the tall, well built man outside the room.  
“Sorry, I am relief staff. Is this Mr Way’s room?”  
The officer, who had worked nineteen hours straight, merely grunted and nodded. Lilith turned on a bright smile before walking past him and into the room, closing it quietly behind her.  
“Mikey…”  
The man in the bed didn’t move or open his eyes. Mikey had been put into an induced coma while the medications cleaned his system of all the interesting things that Zack had doped him with, his body still a patchwork of bruising and scars that Lilith stared at with a certain pride. He was defenceless and she liked it, running soft fingers down his face. It was a shame, he was so nearly perfect but Lilith knew that she would have to work quickly.   
It was clear that unhooking the systems around him would trigger alarms so Lilith looked around for something else. It would be better to do this without a mark if possible or as little evidence at least and she considered whether she could somehow inject air into a vein before deciding that the old ways were probably the best.  
Still Mikey didn’t stir as Lilith picked up the pillow, only the sound of the door opening stopped her and she waited a moment as someone came in behind her. The voice that greeted her caused a quiet giggle and she didn’t turn.   
“Oh hi, didn’t realise you were here. How is he doing?”  
Claire managed to put her chair and laptop on the small chair, not really looking at the nurse who was checking Mikey over. The contents of her coffee cup dribbled over the edge and scalded her fingers causing her to swear as the woman turned around.  
“He’s alive. Which I really didn’t think he would be. Hello Claire.”  
Claire didn’t feel the cup drop from her fingers, the air taken from her lungs in a burst of recognition and dawning confusion. She knew the girl but it was impossible, absolutely impossible. Lilith giggled again, a triumphant smirk across her face as she put out her arms.  
“Not even a hug for your big sister?”


	19. Sisters

Claire could only stare in horror.  
“But…it can’t be you. You….died.”  
Lilith shrugged, a sweet smile crossing her face as she enjoyed the shock on her younger sisters face. It had amused her intensely when Zack’s research had turned up that Claire had fulfilled her ambitions to join the police and was now hunting her. Lilith had loved Claire, had been devastated when she had sided with their parents in locking Lilith away.  
“Did you mourn? Did dear old mom and dad?”  
“Of course they did, nobody wanted you dead.”  
Lilith shrugged, keeping herself between Claire and Mikey.  
“No, you just wanted me locked away.”  
Claire swallowed hard, aware now of the pillow in her hand and the fact that Mikey was unconscious and vulnerable behind her. Lilith had died, the fire in the sanatorium had left a charred body that they had been assured was her sister and yet here she was. A mix of feelings were swamping her, the good memories of a shared childhood before Lilith had become ill mixing with the others of violence and increasing terror. She squared her shoulders, a little steel creeping into her voice.  
“You were dangerous then and now, I don’t know. You tell me.”  
The other woman giggled, running a hand down the sheets that covered Mikey. It started to dawn on Claire that Lilith was involved in it all from the killings to the kidnapping and anger started to bloom behind her shock.  
“I am having fun that’s all. Mikey was most entertaining, once I knew you guys were together I kinda had to have him.”  
“You fucking bitch, what about the murders? Is that you having fun?”  
Lilith smiled again, the dawning rage on Claire’s face was the reaction she had been hoping for. Not even Zacky knew about Lilith’s family, she hadn’t told him about growing up with parents and a sister, the almost normal life that had been shattered by their betrayal. Lilith felt she wasn’t sick, never had been in fact and they should have tried to understand better. Not just lock her away and leave her to rot. That Zack had come along and made escape possible had been her good fortune and now a small modicum of revenge could be found in taking something her sister loved.  
“Zacky likens it to being god. He has an interesting way of putting things.”  
Claire glanced behind Lilith, not wanting to give away that her service revolver was in her jacket on the chair. Not quite within reach but if she could manoeuvre Lilith away from Mikey then she might be able to make a grab for it. That was the better option than screaming for help, she hadn’t been able to see Frank as she came in and although there were guards around she had to consider that Lilith could still hurt Mikey badly before they reached her.  
“He’s a sick fuck like you. I knew you were crazy but this is something else.”  
Lilith snarled, one hand reaching for the IV’s in Mikey’s arm. Claire made a move forward and stopped herself, the doctors had been clear that Mikey was still in some danger and she couldn’t risk his life.  
“Don’t say that word to me.”  
There was a moment’s silence, Claire remembering how that one word had become so painful to Lilith and allowing herself to also remember that things could have turned out differently. Still keeping her eye on Mikey, she put out a hand, her voice softening.  
“He was wrong to do what he did…”  
The girl pouted, one hand still on the bandages.  
“Old news. I made him pay for it. Now its your turn.”  
“That won’t change anything. Stop this now and let me help you.”  
Lilith blinked, the first doubt appearing on her face.  
“You can’t help me. You never made any effort to understand.”  
Claire took a step forward.  
“I was a kid, I couldn’t stop them even if I tried.”  
“You told them you were scared of me!”  
With one sharp movement Lilith turned, the IV coming out with one sharp tug resulting in a screech from the machines and no movement at all from Mikey. Claire lunged forward, half going for Lilith and half for her jacket before being stopped by a hard punch to the face. She lashed out blindly, the two women grappling for a moment before Lilith managed to grab her sister by her hair and bounce her head off the metal bed railing. Claire went down, dazed and now bleeding as she stared up at Lilith.  
“I’m sorry little sister but sacrifices have to be made.”  
Claire now did the one thing she could think of, letting out a loud scream for help before being silenced by a kick to the head. Lilith knew this was getting out of control, she had to finish it and leave before anyone was alerted and now she could hear movement outside. Stepping over Claire she looked down at Mikey. Still he hadn’t moved, the bruising on his face had gone down a little and she smiled as she remembered him screaming before locking the door and removing the gun from Claire’s jacket.  
It would be amusing but too loud to use of course and she merely unloaded it before opening the window and tossing it out. There was a knock on the door, a deep voice asking if all was well.  
“Oh yes, just someone not used to blood.”  
There was a pause and a grunt before silence and Lilith let out a breath before looking down at her sister again. Claire was bleeding from the temple but already stirring and she was forced to make a decision. Mikey had to die but could she kill Claire?  
Of course.  
It was easy.  
Lilith still hesitated before picking up the pillow and sitting astride Claire. The other woman struggled, aware of the danger but still groggy and uncoordinated. Lilith grabbed her hair and banged Claire’s head against the floor again, the struggles ceasing. Still she couldn’t quite do it, more memories crowding into her head before a final face swam into her minds eye. One she preferred to forget and it made her snap back, the pillow slamming down.  
“It was always going to end this way.”  
Claire struggled, desperate for air and all too aware that Lilith was strong and determined when the madness really kicked in. It was getting harder and harder to breathe, a frantic thought that Mikey would die too if she didn’t find a way of escaping flashing across her brain before the dark fog started to descend. The growing pressure was painful and she knew she was weakening, Gee and Frank’s faces flitting across her oxygen starved brain before suddenly the pressure was gone.  
“I don’t think so.”  
Mikey had Lilith by the hair, a burst of strength letting him throw her away from Claire as his girl rolled over, panting for air and utterly disorientated. He was feeling the same, remembering little but enough to know that his tormentor had found him and was intent on hurting the woman he loved.   
Lilith scrambled up, impressed that the boy had managed to get to his feet although he was swaying badly and seemed to have spent what little strength he had in stopping her killing her sister. She backed towards the door, keeping her voice light.  
“Spoilsport. Better help her lover boy.”  
For a moment Mikey’s gaze dropped to Claire and it was all Lilith needed. She quickly unlocked the door and stepped out. Luckily the guard was over by the desk and didn’t see her, Frank only getting a fleeting glimpse as Lilith quickly crossed to the bank of elevators. He paused, considering for a moment whether to go and offer his number before being distracted by the door to his friend’s room slamming open. Mikey used the frame to support himself, his arm bleeding freely and with enough breath for only a few words before he collapsed again.  
“Help her, now.”  
Frank felt his blood go cold, letting the nurses attend to Mikey as he strode quickly into the room and took in the destruction and Claire unconscious on the floor. Already his phone was in his hand as the room filled with doctors, his voice hard and urgent.  
“Lock this fucking place down. They’re here.”


	20. The Bank

Gerard lit another cigarette and passed it to Ray.  
They had been outside the bank since early morning and now even he was wondering if this current hunch was wrong. There was no doubt in his mind that the gang would strike again, just the target was unsure and they had spread men out around the other three likely hits before coming down here. Ray seemed more sure, keeping up communications with their teams as his friend brooded.  
“The lead said this one but I’m not convinced.”  
Ray smiled, Gee always got fidgety if confined for too long.  
“Relax. Whichever one those fuckers ain’t getting away.”  
“I should be at the hospital.”  
Gee knew he was pouting and tried not to let Ray’s grin get to him. This was the one part of police work he hated and now was trying not to think about Frank comforting Claire while Mikey slept. He trusted his friends and loved his brother but….the nagging guilt about their affair had somehow got stuck in his head and she was all he could think about.  
“You should be sleeping, smokes and coffee won’t work forever.”  
“When we catch them.”  
Ray nodded thoughtfully, a message from Frank coming through to say Mikey was still stable and everything back there seemed calm. He wasn’t as convinced as Gee that the robberies and murders were connected, the mark seemed more of a coincidence than evidence and he had nothing but his genius friend’s mind to go on. Others may have dismissed it all but Ray knew better and scanned the area again.  
It was just another day outside and both men had wondered occasionally how people managed to just wander around and not see the depravity around them. Claire had laughed, she said the job did that to you until all you could see was the bad and Ray guessed she was right but still he watched them, the sun beating down until he could feel himself almost dozing.  
“We should go get coffee.”  
Gee smirked, looking up from his notebook that now held a pencil drawing of someone who looked a little like Claire. He shut it quickly and lent back, the thermos was still half full and both men had another cup and listened to a robbery in progress alert as another hour dragged by. Texts from Claire now told them that Mikey had turned the corner and Gee felt his shoulders sag in relief.  
“He’s gonna make it.”  
“Did you ever doubt it?”  
There was a pause, now both could admit to themselves that they had been almost convinced that Mikey would die and Gee couldn’t keep the tremor from his voice.  
“No but….damn they did a good job.”  
Ray straightened himself up, a frown crossing his face.  
“All the more reason to make sure our case is water tight. If you think these are the same guys then we need some damn evidence.”  
“I think we will get it. I have been gathering reports in from across the country and several towns have this pattern of dead bodies and seemingly unconnected robberies. Its them and they’re slick.”  
Ray was about to nod as the radio exploded into life.  
“We need back up on 9th, they hit the bank and when we went in they opened up on us. Officers down!”  
The big man didn’t hesitate, the car already spinning around as Gee answered the call and sent all units towards the bank. They could hear it over the radio as the streets flew past around them. Automatic weapons seemed to mix with the screaming and Gee went pale as the sound of an explosion was added into the cacophony of noise.  
“They got us pinned down….”  
Other voices joined in as Ray concentrated on getting them to the bank as fast as he could without causing a road disaster. Gee had planted the siren on the roof of the car and was now loading his gun. Few men could look so focused and Ray allowed himself a grim smile. These men had never seen anything like Gerard when he was pissed off and Ray wanted to unleash it all too, the pressure had been building too long.  
“How far?”  
“Two minutes.”  
Gee swore, he could see people running and the smoke between the buildings as traffic seemed to get thicker around them. Other police cars could be seen in the gridlock and one quick glance at Ray was all it took. The car bounced on the kerb and both men exited quickly, running against the flow of people as other officers joined them. The gunfire was getting louder and just as they turned the corner in front of the building a huge explosion took them from their feet.  
“What the fuck…”  
Ray shook dust from his eyes as Gee tried to crawl forward. Another officer landed beside him, his face chalk white mixed with blood. He looked at the boss, measured panic in his words.  
“They wired the cars in front of the bank and are blowing them whenever we get close. Could be hostages in there.”  
Ray snarled, already seeing a message from his commander saying hang tight, SWAT was headed for them.  
“Can we get around the back?”  
“They took out the three officers that tried. Have a sniper in an upstairs window and he’s fucking good.”  
Gee had stopped hearing any of it, his mind working a pattern around to the side door through the burning debris. If he could just get inside then he was certain he could take down at least a couple of them while they concentrated on the chaos outside. He tried to remember the floor plan, he and Frank had studied all the banks in town in detail and now he sent his buddy a message, help needed but leave Claire with Mikey.  
“Side door is the away from that back entrance. They may not have spotted it.”  
Ray looked incredulous.  
“Or they may be waiting for you.”  
Gee smirked.  
“C’mon, where’s your sense of fun?”  
A flick to his ear and a wave of Ray’s gun was tacit permission and he left his friend there organising the response as another car blew. It gave him cover and he motioned to a couple of uniformed men who didn’t seem exactly happy to follow the detective but did so anyway, all of them trying to dodge the hot metal that seemed to come from all angles.  
“Anybody in there?”  
The taller officer nodded, he had been lucky to survive the initial assault.   
“At least a dozen staff and customers, five or six perps.”  
Gerard nodded, his eyes now on the passage that stood unnoticed by the side of the building. He tried to watch the front of the bank but the flames and smoke made it more difficult and his eyes were stinging. Another volley of automatic fire hit the car in front of him and caused all the men to duck down.  
“We’re sitting ducks, how long till SWAT?”  
“Three minutes.”  
Ray sounded calm as if discussing the weather and it made Gee smile as he crawled forward again. The two men were still following him and all of them felt relief as they managed to get into the narrow space of the alley. It was cooler there and they paused, catching their breaths and reloading before Gee put a hand against the door. It was locked but a simple bobby pin and patience soon ended that, silence inside meaning their luck was holding.   
Gee waved the men to the left and right, cautiously heading into the building. He could hear sobbing and raised voices, one of the other cops pausing as two black clad figures crossed in front of them, both varying large sacks and seemingly relaxed.  
“Clusterfuck.”  
“Total but hey, its amusing Syn and Zack.”  
Gee smiled, all his suspicions confirmed as the men disappeared into another room. He inched forward again, the weapons the robbers held were top of the range and that suggested some serious backing. He paused again, the other cops poised on the outskirts of the room as they listened.  
“Send the bags down to Johnny and lets blow it and go.”  
There was a pause, Gee puzzled until he realised that he could see better if he edged forward. His vision was limited by the door but it appeared that there was now a hole blown in the middle of the office floor and the men were throwing bags down into whatever was below. Gee swore, they would have the building covered but he had a nasty feeling that wherever the cavernous drop led, it would be well outside the police cordon. It was clever and the work of professionals. He turned back.  
“Well now…”  
Gee stared up at the man, green eyes watching him as the two other cops lay dead on the floor and another man was rising, this one tall and all too obviously capable of breaking a neck with his bare hands.  
Zacky pulled off the balaclava, his smile amused.  
“Lose one brother and pick up the other.”


	21. Corridors

Frank paused, steadying his breathing  
He had turned off his radio, aware now that Gee and Ray had their own problems across town but confident that they could handle it. He was more focused on the corridor in front of him and still trying to cope with the horror of seeing both Claire and Mikey taken down in a hospital full of cops. He didn’t have much of a description to go on, only that the perp was female, dark haired and dangerous.   
Mikey had collapsed again, nurses looking after him and Claire who was also still out. Frank had men on all the doors and two teams had started on the floor above and below. One way or another he was going to catch this bitch and then go help his friends mop up the rest.  
Something crashed further down the corridor.  
Frank froze.  
“Police! Come out where I can see you!”  
There was a pause, Frank waited with a steady aim as a girl came into view. He relaxed, his face now concerned as she came towards him. It was the pretty nurse he had seen earlier only now her face was bruised and she looked tearful.  
Glancing again around the enclosed space he put out a hand to her.  
“Hey, we met in the lift earlier. I’m a police officer, are you ok?”  
The girl’s shoulders visibly sagged in relief, her voice trembling.  
“A woman hit me, knocked me over before heading for the back stairs. What’s going on?”  
“They tried to take out the officer we were looking after. Which back stairs?”  
The girl pointed, Frank retrieving his radio and barking orders to send his forces that way. He made to leave, surprised when the girl grabbed his arm. He thought again that she was pretty, her eyes fixed on his.  
“Can’t I come with you? I don’t feel safe here.”  
Frank hesitated.  
“What’s your name?”  
“Lily.”  
Now he did smile at her, pointing back behind them.  
“Head back towards the main area. If she’s gone towards the stairs you’re safe.”  
Lily nodded and turned, disappearing from view as Frank strode towards the back of the building. He could see his men methodically searching each room and kept his eyes on the exit door that came into view at the end of the long corridor. His radio crackled into life.  
“Frankie?”  
“Mikes. You ok?”  
There was a short laugh.  
“Been better buddy, watch your fucking back.”  
Frank smirked and looked around.  
“Amen to that. Is Claire ok?”  
“That’s what I’m calling you for. Get back here, she says she knows who the perp is.”  
“I’m still hunting the perp. Keep her safe.”  
He jammed the radio back on his belt and gingerly stepped through the exit door. The stairwell was noticeably colder than the hospital corridors and he shivered, looking over the balcony and down the ten or so flights of stairs below. There didn’t seem to be any movement but he craned over the gap, searching the silent chasm below. For a moment he hung there, one foot balanced as the floor as he leant over.   
“Dammit….”  
A hard shove to the back caused Frank to yell out, his eyes now fixed on the bottom as he tipped over the rail. He was still screaming, grasping at anything and it was only luck that allowed one hand to grab at the long vertical railings that made up the balustrade. He hung there, his body swinging as he stared up in disbelief at the figure now looking down at him.  
“Frankie…Frankie….Frankie…”  
He gaped, his mind now making the horrific connection as he stared at Lily, her smile serene and somewhat amused.  
“It was you…Lily or should I call you Lilith?”  
“Very good. Not quite good enough but there you go.”  
Frank swung, managing to get a grip on the metal bars with a second hand as she watched him. He was trapped and knew it, hoping beyond anything that one of the other officers would come through the door so close behind her. Lilith liked looking at him, the fear in his eyes was there but there was rage too and it reminded her of Mikey.  
“Stop this now and let me up. The robbery is over, its all over.”  
Lilith’s smile dropped.  
“The robbery?”  
Frank shifted, the pain in his arms growing.  
“Your friends are dead or in custody. Don’t make this worse.”  
“Fuck you. You’re my sister’s ex right?”  
The boy stared up, his blood running a little colder.  
“Your sister?”  
Lilith grinned, stamping down hard on the fingers of Frank’s left hand. He screamed, almost losing his grip before managing to catch back hold.  
“Claire. Not surprised she didn’t tell you about me, traitorous bitch.”  
Her foot came down again and Frank bit back another scream. He knew he was going to fall, his hand giving way so that he dangled over the drop again as Lilith smiled and went for the killing blow. That it didn’t land was due to Mikey, his hand fixing itself around Lilith’s neck and throwing the girl into the wall hard. He followed it up with a savage kick, only turning back to Frank when he was sure that she wouldn’t get up.  
“Some help here!”  
“Shit Mikey, what the fuck is going on.”  
Mikey was panting, only able to keep upright thanks to the adrenaline and morphine he had insisted the doctors give him. He had heard the radio, he knew what Frank didn’t, that Gee was now missing and the bank raid had been a bloodbath. Now he was concentrating on staying upright as two armed officers helped Frank back over the stairwell. He had barely understood Claire’s concussed explanation, only that this woman that had tortured him was her sister, supposedly dead in an asylum fire.  
Frank cradled his hand, glad to be alive and now intrigued as both men stared at Lilith’s unconscious form. It seemed impossible that one person could cause such chaos but Mikey knew better, taking handcuffs from Frank and making sure that Lilith was securely in the uniformed officers custody before allowing Frank to hook an arm under his shoulder and help him back down the corridor.  
“Thanks for the save man.”  
Mikey grinned.  
“I know you and your lack of awareness when you’re focused. You’re like Gee.”  
“Talking of, how was the raid.”  
Mikey winced, his words tight.  
“It went wrong. He’s missing and the perps got out via a tunnel. The thing is, I think we now have a bargaining chip.”  
Frank snarled, he could now see Claire sitting waiting for them, a bag of ice held to her head as she argued with the nurses. The thought of Gee somehow being in the hands of the murderers when he had seen what they had done to Mikey terrified him and it struck Frank just how much he loved Gee. Ray came in from another corridor, the four meeting up in front of the nurses desk. Ray looked exhausted, smoke stained and bleeding from a couple of minor wounds.  
“Gee’s definitely not at the scene.”  
“We have Lilith.”  
Both Claire and Ray stared at the grim look on Mikey’s face and Frank’s savage tone.  
“You have her?”  
Mikey nodded.  
“Trying to kill Frank in the stairwell but yeah, now we have something they are going to want, Something we can trade for my brother.”  
Ray looked appalled, he could see how close to breaking Mikey was.  
“Trade? No, we need to get to Gee without giving up the only suspect we have.”  
Claire bit her lip.  
“Let me talk to her.”  
“First you talk to us. She’s your sister.”  
Ray went pale, all of them now feeling the aches and pains of the last few hours and it was he that suggested they headed to the canteen. Lilith was in a cell at the station and heavily guarded, that could wait. Any sign from the kidnappers would be relayed to them but now his friends needed coffee and to get focussed.  
It seemed like Lilith and Claire were the key.


	22. A Hostage

“So…what do we do with him?”  
Matt grinned, glancing up from the bound, blindfolded and gagged man they now had sitting in a kitchen chair. It had been easy to evade the law, the sewers were not exactly pleasant but the van and clear escape route had got them back to the hideout in record time. Now Johnny was out dumping the car as Jimmy and Zack stashed the cash leaving Syn and Matt with their prisoner.  
“Human shield. Anybody fucks with us on the way out we can hide behind the cop.”  
Syn smirked and patted Gerard on the shoulder before glancing around the kitchen. He left Matt there and wandered upstairs, usually if Lilith didn’t come to meet them she was either sleeping or in the shower. Syn always found that a raid made him want to fuck and hoped she was in the shower all wet and ready for him, a frustrated sigh escaping when she was nowhere to be found. With a sigh he left the room, taking the stairs in two strides and searching the rest of the house. As he entered the kitchen again he saw Jimmy and Zack there now with Matt, all of them drinking coffee.  
“Where’s Lilith?”  
“Thought she was with you.”  
All of them shared a look and frowned, Syn heading outside before pulling out his phone and sending her a text. He was already planning the punishments for leaving the house without telling him, even more so on a raid day when Lilith knew that they had to get the fuck out of dodge. He found the others still in the kitchen and poked an admirably calm Gerard in the ribs.  
“Bitch is probably shopping.”  
Jimmy smiled, still on a high from the raid and ready to cut his pretty psycho a break. He placed an arm around Syn’s shoulder and passed him a beer.  
“We won’t leave till morning anyway, not like your bank balance can’t deal with it.”  
“You ain’t seen the bills, damn that woman can shop.”  
Zacky smiled slowly, his face calm as he looked at his friends.  
“There’s an old garden bunker out back, I’ll stick the cop out there.”  
Matt blinked.  
“Didn’t see that?”  
“Well hidden and half underground. Safest place.”  
Zacky hauled Gerard to his feet and headed outside, his face still as serene as ever but his mind racing. He had a cold knot in his stomach and a feeling that he was now in some deep and serious shit. He didn’t pause, unlocking the bunker and securely handcuffing Gerard to the chair in the middle of the room before reaching into his pocket and retrieving Lilith’s phone. He had seen it on the table when they had first come in and pocketed it, now sending his best friend a loving text to claim his girl was indeed shopping and would be back soon.  
“Well Gerard, we have a serious problem here.”  
The blindfolded man didn’t answer even though had pulled the gag away and simply waited. He could guess who this was, not a comfortable thought but Gee had always known that keeping your head was the only way to survive when faced with a life or death situation. He flinched as Zacky searched him and put Lilith’s phone on the dresser, searching Gee’s until he found Mikey’s number. It was answered on the first ring.  
“Gerard?”  
“Hello Mikey.”  
There was a long pause, Mikey’s voice a study in controlled anger.  
“Fuck you Zack. Let my brother go.”  
“Now, now so rude…and we have things to talk about. Do you have Lilith?”  
“Yes.”  
Zacky winced, his hand now running along the selection of knives in the dresser drawer. This was getting awkward, to admit to his partners now that not only had they lied and tortured the cop, that Johnny had let him go and now Lilith had gone against every iota of common sense…not something Zack really wanted to do and now he needed a way out.  
“A trade. You give me Lilith, I give you Gerard.”  
“You know I can’t do that. Hand yourselves in now and I can ask for a plea deal.”  
Zacky giggled, selecting a serrated edged blade.  
“You seriously think that’s going to happen?”  
There was a short laugh.  
“No but it’s the only way that bitch is leaving here.”  
Gerard was listening closely, unsure now why this conversation was taking place away from the other members of the gang. He could guess that the man talking was Zacky, the response had told him that his brother was pissed off. That they had captured Lilith made this more dangerous, clearly the other men didn’t know it had happened. He felt hands on him again , a ripping sound as his shirt was ripped open and chilled air touched his chest.  
“You sure about that?”  
Gerard screamed in shock as a sharp biting pain bit into his body, the stinging line of pain cutting up from his stomach to just under his right nipple. He panted, feeling a dribble of blood running down his skin. Even from a distance he could hear Mikey yelling as Zacky held the phone away from his ear for a moment before speaking again.  
“Gerard clearly doesn’t take pain as well as you huh?”  
“I will make sure the bitch never sees daylight again, let him go!”  
“Lilith is crazy, not gonna deny it. However she is loved and I am quite prepared to shred your brother into tiny pieces and post him back to you bit by bit to get what I want.”  
There was a pause.  
“Let me talk to Gee.”  
Zacky smiled slowly, holding the phone up to the man’s ear as he admired the slow drip of blood. It wasn’t a deep cut but it was enough to cause pain and he had already decided that one way or another Mikey would crack. He liked talking to the man again, there had been an undeniable spark of attraction and another idea had entered his head.  
“Gee?”  
“I’m ok Mikey, what the fuck is going on?”  
Gerard listened intently as Mikey succinctly gave him the facts. Lilith was in fact Claire’s sister and had tried to kill both Frank and Mikey at the hospital. It had been cunning and a little luck that she hadn’t managed it and now Mikey was going to use this leverage to get Gerard out.  
“They don’t know you have her.”  
Instantly Zack pulled the phone away, viciously slapping Gerard around the face. He stalked over to the other side of the room, throwing the knife down and picking up the larger one that lay there.  
“You have a choice here. You give me Lilith back or he dies and you have one hour to decide.”  
The phone was tossed aside next to Lilith’s and Zacky walked back over to the chair. He pulled the blind fold away from Gee’s eyes, watching as the man blinked against the harsh single bulb that hung overhead. They stared at each other, Gerard surprised by the almost pretty man in front of him who cradled the large blade with such practised ease. Zacky could see the resemblance between the two brothers and liked it, the fear adding to a spark of desire in his chest.  
“You can kill me, he won’t give her back to you.”  
Zacky cocked his head.  
“He’s your brother, he loves you. He used to murmur your name when the drugs started wearing off.”  
Gerard supressed a growl of rage.  
“He’s a good cop, he knows you’re a danger if you live. Do they know that though? Mikey won’t spare your friends either and I don’t get the impression they are willing to die just to rob banks.”  
“They enjoy the killing and they know the risk.”  
Gerard smiled, knowing it was needling Zacky but unable to help it.  
“They don’t know that she’s missing though do they?”  
“It doesn’t matter.”  
Zacky pulled himself away, the annoyance and feeling he had lost a battle where rare thoughts for him and he didn’t like it. It took away the desire to play with the man in front of him for longer. Instead he left Gerard in the dark and stalked back up towards the house. There had to be another solution that involved getting both his girl and Mikey back…a trade maybe, one brother prepared to replace the other.  
Zacky smiled in the darkness.


	23. Interview

“Where are they?”  
Ray and Frank stared at the petite woman in front of them and were greeted with nothing but a sweet smile. Frank was pissed, had refused to let Claire question her sister while she was still so bruised up and even Ray had suggested that Mikey take her home seeing as both had refused to stay in hospital another night. Now they watched from behind the two way window that looked into the interrogation room, not willing to leave and grateful to be alive and reunited.  
“Who?”  
“Your friend Zack and the other murderers.”  
Lilith folded her hands and enjoyed the rage in the pretty boy’s eyes.  
“I don’t know anyone called Zack.”  
Ray picked up a file and looked again at the woman, reminding himself of what they suspected her of and what Mikey had told them. It seemed impossible but Frank had been very clear about what she had tried to do to him and one look at Claire told him the rest.  
“Zachary Baker….same asylum as you were in right?”  
“I remember him. Died in that fire.”  
“Like you….”  
Lilith shrugged, the fact that they were asking her to betray her friends suggested Frank’s confidence about the bank raid had been misplaced. It was up to her now to send them in another direction although she knew that Syn’s anger when he found out what she had done may well make them leave her to the mercy of the police.  
“I want to speak to my sister.”  
“No.”  
She giggled, a light sound that spoke of madness.  
“My only next of kin and also shouldn’t I have a lawyer?”  
Ray smiled back, his voice just as soft and threatening.  
“Maybe if you answer us truthfully. Or after we get you committed…either works.”  
The smile dropped from Lilith’s face and she glanced over at the mirror.  
“But Claire and I have so much to talk about.”  
In the other room Claire gritted her teeth, there had been a very awkward conversation with her boss and friend before they had all talked together. She had found it hard to explain what the loss of her sister had done to her parents and the effect of Lilith’s illness on her own childhood. They had all been understanding, it was just that it was a raw nerve and even more so now that they knew Gerard was in the hands of the enemy.   
“You need to talk to us. You know they aren’t going to help you and will let you go down for all of it, all those murders.”  
Lilith tipped her head.  
“Its impossible to pin all of those murders on one person.”  
“True but what choice will we have if you won’t help us? Why go after Mikey? Did they tell you to?”  
Ray watched something dark flit across her face as she again looked over at the mirror.  
“No. Nobody told me to, I just don’t like loose ends and he screams so pretty.”  
Mikey smirked, he was willing to break the bitch in half to find Gee.  
“So you admit that you were trying to kill him?”  
“No, I didn’t say that now did I? I did try and kill him though.”  
She nodded at Frank with a grin. He resisted the urge to bite back.  
“You could go to jail for a long time just for that. Once we add the murders, the kidnapping of a police officer and attempting to murder Claire…well you ain’t gonna see daylight for a long time.  
Lilith shrugged.  
“Fine. Go for it. Try and prove any of it. Now can I talk to my sister?”  
There was a pause before Ray suspended the interview and stood up, Frank following him as they headed back to talk to Claire and Mikey. It was unnerving and annoying she seemed so unafraid and Ray knew that partly the woman was right. There was precious little physical evidence to tie Lilith to anything bar the attack on Mikey and the business at the hospital. They were no nearer getting to where Gerard was or the rest of the gang.  
“What do you think?”  
Claire’s scowl made both Mikey and Frank smile.  
“Let me talk to her.”  
Ray leant against the doorframe.  
“You sure?”  
“Its going to be the only way to get anything out of her.”  
Ray nodded slowly, Mikey grabbing Claire into a hug and a long kiss with words to be careful. Frank grabbed her hand and squeezed, all of the men knowing that this would be a difficult conversation. All Claire could feel was guilt, her mind torn between knowing that she and Gee had cheated on Mikey and Frank yet desperately wanting to save him before Zack and his buddies decided to kill him. Mikey had told them of the conversation with Zacky and the clock was fast ticking down.  
“Hello Lilith.”  
She looked up as Claire came in, the temperature dropping as the two women stared at each other.  
“Hello Claire, how’s Mikey?”  
Lilith knew her sister was furious, the bruises of the battle now full and ripe on both of them. She had to buy time, something was not adding up to her and it occurred to her that she had seen all of them now except the Way boys. Mikey may well still be in hospital but from what she had heard, it was Gerard that was the genius of the group and yet he hadn’t appeared.  
“He’s here. Don’t make me go get him.”  
Lilith giggled.  
“I’m not scared of him or you.”  
“There are no chains this time sis, I wouldn’t rate your chances.”  
Claire noted that Lilith winced ever so slightly.  
“And as for when you get back to the ward. Well we both know how well that used to go for you.”  
Now Lilith did scowl, folding her arms as she stared at Claire.  
“You always used the scared little girl act when they came for me. Coward then and coward now.”  
Claire smiled widely.  
“I was sixteen for gods sake and you tried to kill our dad with a fucking butcher knife. Not like you were Mrs Sane back then.”  
“Fuck you. You’re just lucky lover boy came round when he did.”  
Mikey bit his lip, not quite sure why Claire was taking a confrontational route but unable to deny there was some satisfaction in it. Frank was ready to dive for the door, all too aware that if the sisters came to blows again Claire was risking a further concussion.  
“I’m actually trying to help you. You’re sick Lilith, you always have been and we both know a court will take that into account. Stop this now and tell us where they are and I will speak up for you.”  
Lilith rolled her eyes.  
“Like you did back then? No thanks.”  
“Its not like it was back then. We didn’t know what dad was doing to you….”  
Lilith visibly paled, the first sign of something behind the bravado showing.  
“Don’t…”  
“I get why you did it now. I understand why and so did mom. Please, let me make it up to you. Help you this time.”  
Claire held her breath. She hadn’t disclosed that Lilith had finally snapped and murdered their father after he had tried to beat the demon out of her as he put it. It was that rather than the paranoid psychosis that had put Lilith in a secure ward the last time and sparked the long road to where they were now. There was still a part in Claire that genuinely wanted to get her sister some help but it would depend on this and getting Gerard back.  
“I don’t believe you.”  
“All I need is for you to give them up. Tell me where they are.”  
Lilith considered it for a few seconds.  
“I will give them to you on one condition.”  
Ray exchanged a glance with his friends. It was almost agonising to watch and yet this was the first sign of a breakthrough they had and it was less than five minutes before the deadline was up. Lilith leant forward, her eyes amused and yet cold.  
“Which is? Don’t ask me to let you go after.”  
“You tell me how they took Gerard and I will give you a city block to search. That is my offer but if you let Mikey and I go alone I will give you an offshore bank account. The rest is up to you.”


	24. Arrangements

Gerard paused, listening intently.  
The men hadn’t returned in what he guessed was a few hours and now thirst was starting to be an issue. The time had been used effectively though as Gee had worked the blindfold off and was now using a paperclip that lived in his jeans pocket to attempt to pick the lock on the handcuffs. It had never been in his nature to accept defeat and he wasn’t going to start now. All the time his eyes remained fixed on the door.  
He knew this was his one shot, the conversation between Zacky and Mikey showing that there were rifts between these men he could use if needed and the potential for chaos. Problem was without a weapon that chaos could get him killed. With a huff the handcuffs unlocked and Gee shook them off, rubbing his hands together to try and restore circulation. As he bent to pick them up he could hear voice and pulled the blindfold back up. The handcuffs went around his wrists again but now unlocked.  
“I say we kill him and get the fuck out of here.”  
“Calm down. We’re in the fucking shit now and Syn beating Zacky half to death is only going to make it worse. We need cool heads.”  
“We are not handing him back in the hope we get Lilith. Syn might think that’ll work but I don’t Jimmy, I am not dying over this.”  
There was a pause as the blindfold was pulled away and Gerard blinked, cautiously staring up at the two men in surprise. He knew them both from magazine covers and could only stare in shock. Jimmy Sullivan and Matt Sanders were fucking millionaires, they had no need to rob banks or kill. For the first time Gee felt some fear.  
“Your brother? He’s alive?”  
Gerard nodded slowly.  
“Yes. I understand you didn’t know that your friends had taken him.”  
“No, we didn’t and that was the last thing any of us wanted. The problem with having mentally ill friends is that they are unpredictable.”  
Jimmy smirked, the smile on Gee’s face was somewhat knowing. Only Matt remained impassive, a handgun in his right hand. He knew his friend thought they could make a deal here before Syn went on some homicidal rampage in the hope of getting his woman back.  
“So you want to trade me for Lilith I take it.”  
“Yes.”  
Gerard knew that Ray may well be ok with doing just that even if his superiors disagreed and wondered again on the angle. These guys had let him see their faces and yet seemed prepared to let him go. Something was off with that and it intrigued him even more.  
“I’ve seen you. I can find you quick enough and take you all down.”  
Finally Matt did smile, taking a seat opposite Gerard.  
“You can try except me and Jim got the best fucking lawyers in the country and who they gonna believe? Us with our millions or a borderline alcoholic detective who’s been traumatised by the kidnapping of his brother?”  
Jimmy giggled at the scowl that crossed Gerard’s face.   
“You’re fighting amongst yourselves.”  
“When it involves us leaving, we’re on the same side.”  
There was a pause, both men now intent on working the other out as the door to the bunker room slammed open. Gates was furious and still holding the semi automatic he had held to Zack’s head when his best friend had confessed to them that Lilith had not only taken Mikey and tortured him but had now fallen into the hands of the cops. Syn loved Zack, always had but he had lost it, brutally pistol whipping the boy to the ground before Johnny had interfered and got himself knocked out.  
“Get out the way.”  
Jimmy stood up, Gerard now watching closely.  
“Syn, we talked about this.”  
“Get out the fucking way. I’m gonna waste this bitch unless he calls them now and arranges a trade.”  
Matt put himself between the cop and his friend. He knew Syn had a weak spot with Lilith but never forgot that fucking with someone who the government had trained to rip men to pieces was not a good idea. Privately he wasn’t as confident as Jimmy that they could get out of this alive and he half hoped that Syn would waste the cop so they had to leave.  
“Give me the phone. I will arrange a trade.”  
All three of the men turned back to Gerard.  
“You fuck this up and I will fucking bury you.”  
Syn was sick of all of it, part of him wanted to leave Lilith to the cops just for lying to him, the other part wanted her back in his arms and the opportunity to break her neck himself. He had lost it, Zacky had let him too and somehow that made him feel some guilt. Syn was aware that his own tendency to ignore his girlfriend’s insane side was what led Zacky to feed it. He was pissed at himself, at his friends and this cop was the only one that could fix it.  
“SYN. Stop.”  
Jimmy glared his friend back and watched as Matt removed the handcuffs before giving Gee back his phone. There was something all too calm about Gerard that bothered him and all three men now had guns drawn. He found Mikey’s number, his voice calm.  
“Michael?”  
“Gee? Fuck, you ok?”  
Gerard smiled, his voice tired.  
“I’m ok. They want a trade. Me for the girl.”  
“Thought they might. When and where?”  
Gee looked up at his captors, the fact that his brother had not objected to the use of his full name meant the conversation was being recorded and they were already planning both this exchange and the battle that was sure to follow it. There seemed to be nothing now that would stop it unless Gee could come up with something fucking quickly.  
“Location?”  
Jimmy was thoughtful, all too aware that they had given in far too easily.  
“They leave Lilith by the hospital with a phone. We leave you at the Metro when we get a call to say she’s safe and alone. Believe me, my boy here is a fucking good sniper. You piss around and we see a cop and you’re a dead man. Give me the phone.”  
Gee handed it over, listening as Jimmy made his demands. Mikey would be making notes and he tried to estimate the time of the call to see if Frank would be able to track it but it seemed doubtful. Syn paced behind him, a lit cigarette between his clenched teeth.  
“It’s on.”  
Matt ran one hand through his hair, glancing across at the door. He knew that there would be risks but trusted Jimmy, what mattered now was making sure that Zacky didn’t leave or try his own rescue. It had been him that had helped the boy up and he knew the unstable side was now loose. Matt knew Zack loved Syn, always had and half suspected that it had played into the decision to take and torture Mikey. The guy had a type.  
“Let’s do this, I want my girl back and then I’m out.”  
Jimmy nodded, it would be safer to split up after this and there was more than enough money now for them all to have a good life. He was also betting on what he had said earlier to be true at least to start with. If the cops found anything it needed to be after they had all left the country.  
Gee found himself blindfolded and handcuffed again, the dark silence closing in on him as a smile crossed his face. He waited for half an hour until sure they were busy elsewhere before slipping the cuffs and rummaging around the room for something he could use. The vast collection of knives had been removed but one was left and he tossed it over in his hands.  
Time to even up the fight.


	25. Reunion

From a distance they could have been lovers.  
A petite young woman and a tall, almost gangly young man walking calmly along a deserted street. It was late, just after one a.m and there was no-one to see that the reason they were walking so closely together was not that they were holding hands more that she was handcuffed to him. Lilith was almost amused, the half pout, half glare he had been wearing since they left the police station told her how much Mikey hated this and yet knew he had little other option. Personally her only concern was whether Syn had discovered the depth of her deception. Lilith knew from experience just how bad his anger could be and it added to the electric thrill of danger that was going up her back.  
“When we get there, you stay fucking put.”  
“Yes sir.”  
Mikey snarled, he knew the bitch was laughing at him.  
“Or I will shoot you in the head.”  
Lilith turned to him, her eyes now a little harder.  
“You’re hoping for a bloodbath. I dare say both sides are but one way or another I will walk away.”  
“When I get my brother back its game on.”  
For a brief moment his eyes held hers, the glare one of hate but attraction there too that made her want to not just hurt him but taste him again. Mikey snapped out of it, that had been a mistake and any intimacy they had shared amongst the pain had been just another level of torture.  
“Why? Can’t you let it go Mikey?”  
“No more than you can. Your lover won’t stop killing will he….”  
Lilith giggled, half turning towards him.  
“Zacky isn’t my lover beyond us killing together. The man I love is not a natural killer although the government trained him to become one. Do you love my sister?”  
“Yes. I do.”  
She turned away and he looked up towards the hospital at the top of the street. He didn’t want to do this, Mikey thought it was a mistake and had argued with Ray over it before Frank had talked him down. They had the city block that Lilith had promised but no bank account to trace and although he had been assured that Gee was unharmed he knew only too well what that might actually mean.   
“Claire will betray you.”  
The words had a chilling finality that made Mikey stop, yanking on the cuffs.  
“Shut the fuck up. You don’t know anything about her.”  
“I know my sister. She loved me and yet betrayed me so why should you be any different.”  
Mikey glared, the free hand itching to slap the woman in front of him.  
“You don’t know her at all.”  
Lilith giggled, patting his face.  
“Neither do you.”  
With a snarl he yanked on the handcuffs, dragging Lilith up the road until they reached the front. A few people were milling around but none paid the couple any attention as Mikey shoved the phone into her hand and glanced around them, his voice clipped and cold.  
“Do it.”  
She didn’t hesitate, the single number being picked up on the first ring.  
“Lilith?”  
“I’m here baby, let’s do the swap.”  
There was a short laugh.  
“Stay the fuck there until I get to you. You and me need to talk.”  
Lilith shivered, fear at Syn’s tone shooting up her back. Something was wrong, she could feel it in the curt tone that went beyond his anger at her. Fighting to keep her voice level she replied calmly.  
“Can I tell Mikey its on?”  
“Yeah.”  
The phone cut off and she looked at Mikey.  
“Ok, you get him back.”  
There was a satisfied smile on Mikey’s face as he pulled her close to him, the muzzle of his gun now pressed up under her chin. Lilith squeaked, trying to pull away as he enjoyed her body against his.  
“Change of plan sweetheart. Till I know Gee is safe, I ain’t going anywhere.”  
“You promised!”  
Lilith glanced up and down the road, this was not good and she had no doubt that there were other police around if Mikey had dared to risk this. They were still handcuffed together and now he had a gun pointing at her she was helpless and Syn was walking into a trap.  
“Your boys play fair and I let you go.”  
“They will.”  
He liked the slight catch in her voice and the feeling of the tables being turned after their last encounter threatened to awake darker needs in him and Mikey shook the thought from his head as they waited. His radio remained silent as the seconds ticked by. Mikey was almost as nervous as she was although he knew it was more concern for Gerard than anything else.  
“Mikes?”  
“Gee, you ok?”  
Lilith smiled at the giggle and allowed herself a moment of relief.  
“I’m good. Let her go.”  
“Fine.”  
Mikey didn’t waste any time. He wanted to join up with the SWAT team that was fast headed towards them but that would mean making the girl believe it was on the level for just that bit longer. He released the handcuffs and allowed her to put the phone back in his hands as she stared up at him.  
“Run Lilith, before I change my mind.”  
For a moment she didn’t move before leaning up and pressing a swift kiss against his lips. Mikey hesitated just a second too long before pulling back and turning away. Lilith smirked after him, heading up the road as she knew Syn would have to follow the city’s traffic system to get to her and wanted to be away from whatever hell was about to rain down on her head. She hadn’t believed Mikey for one second.  
There were long seconds as they headed in opposite directions, the tension in the air not letting up until a Mustang hurled itself around the corner at high speed. Lilith frantically got back out the way as Syn pulled the car into a 180 turn and leaned across, his tone curt.  
“Get in and shut up.”  
Lilith complied, taking the precaution of putting on her seatbelt as Syn pushed the car to the max. He was all too aware that there could be another ambush, the one that Jimmy and Johnny had shot their way out of after dropping Gerard at the rendezvous had just confirmed that it had been a set up. Not that it had been likely to be anything else but the cops would be smarting right now at their losses even though they had the cop back.   
“This is your fucking fault.”  
Lilith winced, turning to him.  
“I know. I will take responsibility for that.”  
“Good cos Matt is dead.”  
Lilith stared at him, her eyes widening.  
“What happened?”  
“That bitch cop made a break for it. Got Matt in the neck with one of your blades. Its only thanks to Zacky that I didn’t leave you there but we gotta retreat for the short term.”  
Lilith turned away, her mind almost broken straight down the middle. That they were only retreating briefly told her war was now declared, the fact that his best pal was dead told her that Syn would not forgive in a hurry for this fiasco and now Lilith had a choice to make.  
Stay or run.


	26. In The Middle Of A Gunfight....

Claire cursed, bullets still thumping into the metal beside her head.  
It was a clusterfuck, Gerard had managed to get out and kill one of them before the others started to shoot back but they clearly had the better weapons and now even SwAT was pinned down by the sheer amount of flying lead and smoke in the air.  
Worse was the sight she was now staring at. Frank was propped against the wheel of one of the cars, his hand pressed tightly against a wound in his shoulder that was producing a growing bloodstain as she watched. He was unarmed, his gun hand now useless as he tried to stem the flow and Gerard tried to reach him.  
“Claire!”  
She turned, her shoulders sagging in relief as Mikey appeared beside her.  
“We need to get to Frank.”  
“We need to get after your sister.”  
She slammed a kiss into his lips and pointed, the tall man now seeing that his buddy was badly hurt and in serious danger even as his older brother crawled that way. Mikey swore, returning fire over the car with Claire in an effort to keep the enemy at bay. SWAT were working men forward along the flanks and Ray was with them, an automatic in his hand. Claire loved it, she knew the boss could be a demon and now she glanced again at Mikey.  
“You think Lilith will just take off and leave them?”  
He shrugged, noting that there was more smoke and it was getting harder to see. Clearly something else had been set on fire and there was a deep thudding series of booms as the cars around them started to blow.  
“If she has any sense in that head of hers. That guy that picked her up must know his guys are pinned down.”  
Claire winced, peeking again to see that Gee had reached Frank and was stripping off his jacket to help bind up Frank’s shoulder. For long minutes the gun battle raged before something much larger exploded and flaming fragments of debris caused everyone to duck down and wait until the heat had subsided. Mikey could hear orders being shouted and pulled Claire another car in front as both of them realised the gunfire had stopped.  
“Go to Frank, I need Gee to come help me with Ray and the sWAT boys.”  
Claire nodded, taking a path through the smoke and trying not to cough and inhale any more. She hated seeing Mikey headed towards more danger but knew he was right, they needed to get the gang in custody before they escaped again and then think about going after Lilith.  
“How is he?”  
Gerard winced, pushing the fabric against the wound a little more. Frank was barely conscious and both of them knew he needed proper medical treatment. Claire took over, Gerard picking up the fallen gun as she steadied Frank against her shoulder.  
“It’s a nasty wound. I’ll send help. Where did Mikey go?”  
“After Ray. Go on, shoo!”  
He grinned, planting a kiss against her forehead before disappearing into the smoke. Frank moaned, his eyes flickering open as he realised that it was Claire now holding him and everything around them seemed to be burning.  
“Am I dead?”  
Claire giggled, his grin telling her that yes he was in pain but he would live.  
“No, just a normal night in Jersey.”  
“Well fuck. Did we get them?”  
She hushed him, his pallor made Frank look even younger and there was some relief in seeing a medic with his bag headed over in their direction. Soon Frank was in experienced hands, Claire talking to Mikey on the radio as she watched the man administer pain killers before even attempting to look at the ragged wound in Frank’s shoulder.  
“We lost them.”  
She swore under her breath.  
“Now what?”  
“We had a cordon out around the city, sooner or later one of them will turn up and we go in. Can’t imagine they won’t split up after that.”  
“I’m going to the hospital with Frankie, keep me updated.”  
Claire smiled as Mikey giggled.  
“Tell the bitch to take the night off. Be careful.”  
“You too.”  
Frank screeched as the medic finished cleaning the wound and promptly passed out. Claire could do nothing but watch as the IV was set up and he was bandaged and shifted onto the gurney. No matter what he had done, the lies he had told…Claire knew that she still loved him and that could only cause even more problems for all of them. She frowned, following as the men wheeled Frank to an ambulance and loaded him in. As she hopped up on the step Claire heard Ray’s voice and turned.  
“Is he ok?”  
Ray could see Claire was tired, the strain showing and he knew they had been lucky this time. It would be the last time he would underestimate the men that had escaped although they were one down and he could at least put out an alert with some kind of certainty that he was naming the right names.  
“I think so, I’ll stay with him.”  
“Keep in contact. Don’t want your sister to spring any surprises.”  
Claire snarled, half of her wanted that confrontation.  
“I’ll shoot her on sight.”  
Ray smirked and pushed her into the ambulance, slamming the doors behind her. Claire took a seat next to the stretcher and nodded to the medic as the vehicle lurched forward. She studied Frank’s face, exhaustion and blood loss made him pale under the stubble and she couldn’t resist, leaning out a hand to push his hair from his closed eyes.  
“No dying on me….”  
There was no response and she rested her head back, closing her eyes as they moved through the streets. The medic kept up obs on the young man on the stretcher, confident that he wouldn’t die but again kinda glad he hadn’t gone into police work.  
“Would be this hospital.”  
Claire smiled at the tired comment from Frank as they wheeled him into the same place where Mikey had been treated. Both of them were nervous, Claire wouldn’t put it past Lilith not to come after them despite everything and she kept her hand on her service revolver as they arrived in the ER and manoeuvred the stretcher into a cubicle. Finally the curtains closed and they were alone, Frank running a hand over his eyes.  
“Thought I was a dead man there for a minute.”  
Claire tried to smile.  
“You’re not allowed to die.”  
“Yes ma’am. Makes you think though.”  
His eyes searched hers, Frank had never gotten over Claire despite his love for Gerard and the fact that she was trying to move on. He could feel the drugs wearing off and couldn’t help it, the words spilling from his lips in a rush.  
“I should never have let you go. I love you.”  
Claire winced.  
“We talked about this…”  
“I know and I know its crazy, all of it.”  
Frank couldn’t look away, a smile crossing his face as she leaned down and kissed him deeply, his free hand working to her hair before she pulled back and winked at him.  
“Not long now baby, keep the act up and soon we’re free. Trust me, where we are going nobody is going to look for us.”  
Claire loved the crooked grin that worked across his face.  
“If Lilith keeps up her end of the bargain.”  
“Oh she will. She knows Syn’s life depends on it.”


	27. Confessions

Zacky sat on the back step, a smoke hanging from between his lips as he waited.  
The pain in his face didn’t bother him, he had expected Syn to lose it and was prepared to take the hit. What he hadn’t expected was the frail looking cop to be so lethally efficient with a blade, in a perverse sense Zacky was sort of impressed. Now Matt was dead, the plan a mess and all he could hope was that they all made it out in different directions with a share of the money. Jimmy had been calm, he had always expected it to end badly and had immediately liquidated every asset he and Matt had into the offshore accounts to be split later when the heat was off. Now they were gone, Jimmy and Johnny headed out in one direction and he would do the same with Lilith and Syn once they arrived.  
A slow smile crossed his face.  
If Lilith was still breathing.  
Somehow he thought she would be, another drag on the cigarette making him cough a little. Syn was a hard man but Zacky knew he loved the girl despite all of the chaos and death around them. If he was honest, he loved both of them and now allowed himself to think of getting some sun and beer on a beach somewhere instead of constant death. The sound of a car pulling in brought him out of the reverie and he looked up as the doors slammed.  
“You have two minutes to explain this before I fucking shoot you.”  
Syn was ice cold, too calm and the weapon didn’t shake as he pointed it at Lilith’s head. To her credit she didn’t flinch, merely glancing at Zacky before replying as her enraged lover forced her up against the car.  
“It will take longer but you have to listen very carefully.”  
Syn blinked, he had been expecting her to beg but there was something else in her voice that he didn’t recognise. Zacky stood up slowly, not liking where this was going but knowing that the time had come to tell Syn just exactly what they had gotten him into. Lilith fixed him with a stare, one hand reaching out to push the gun away.  
“You know I met Zacky in the mental hospital yes? And you know Claire is my younger sister?”  
“Gerard claimed it, Zacky confirmed it and what the fuck…”  
She cut him off with a finger against his lips, her voice more urgent now.  
“It wasn’t me that killed our father, it was Claire.”  
Syn took a step back, his expression becoming confused although to her relief he now put the gun down. She motioned to Zacky who began loading up the car as Lilith headed towards the house, Syn following at her heels. He didn’t know whether to be angry or intrigued but continued to listen and help as they emptied the remaining food and alcohol into the bags on the kitchen table.  
“So if you didn’t kill him, why did they put you in there?”  
“Never said I was sane, just that I didn’t kill him. I had been in and out of those places since I was twelve and the medication and therapy were working. When I take my meds I’m as rational as you.”  
Syn couldn’t resist the smirk on his face which made her smile.  
“Claire on the other hand hides it much better but when it appears its violent. She’s my baby sister, no way I was going to let her get put into the system and the fuck deserved it.”  
“What does that have to do with all this?”  
Lilith paused, walking over to him to wrap her arms around his waist. For a moment Syn resisted, he knew what he was seeing and now began to put the pieces together. She wasn’t as crazy as he had thought, just a whole lot more cunning and he kinda liked it. He leant down, kissing her hard before grabbing the bags and heading back out to the car.  
“Claire made sure when we set the fire that everyone would think me and Zack were dead. She’s been making sure the cops turn a blind eye to us ever since. Until we came here.”  
Zack accepted a rough hug from Syn and climbed into the passenger seat, Lilith sliding in the back with the supplies as Syn slammed the trunk on the money and turned the car back into the night. He glanced into the mirror.  
“I’m not going to like this am I?”  
“Claire and Frank got themselves in some trouble. He was extorting cash from a drug baron, nothing major but enough to cause internal affairs to get involved. I helped Claire to make the evidence go away but it meant they had to split up to divert attention and they needed money. So we invented a story about frank fucking old men and she pointed us….here. Would only take ten grand to pay off the one low level dealer and I knew that we would make a thousand times that. Jimmy can’t resist an easy score. In return we got the bank and all the fun at the fountains.”  
Now both Zacky and Syn were staring at Lilith, a prod in the back needed to make her lover put his eyes back on the road. Zacky was aware that the sisters had played him too and couldn’t stop the bitterness in his tone.  
“You wanted us to take Mikey, why? Not just the kicks?”  
Lilith smiled, her eyes going colder.  
“Claire said he was getting suspicious. If that happened and Gerard joined the dots….well. Even Frank fucking Gee wouldn’t be enough to save them. So I needed to see what the boy knew. Which was precisely nothing.”  
Syn rubbed a hand over the back of his neck.  
“Except now its fucked and we’re gonna be on the nightly news.”  
“Claire will make sure the investigation is a dead end.”  
There was a harsh squeal of tyres as Syn t-boned the car and swung it into a darkened layby. He had dragged Lilith out by the hair before Zacky could react and was shaking her hard. Lilith was now genuinely scared, Syn was cold faced, his voice hard but controlled.  
“Always the fucking games, you lied to me. You lied to all of us and now you think your psycho sister and her cop boyfriend are just going to let us walk?”  
Syn let go, Lilith landing on the ground with a thud as Zacky leant back on the car and looked at both of them. He could see Syn’s point, although he didn’t believe Lilith was quite as sane as she claimed. At the same time the plan had worked up to this point and there was a fortune in the back of the car let alone what was abroad.  
“Why not? Claire will go down if we go down and she knows it.”  
“Except you’re officially dead and they can double cross us.”  
Syn looked at Zack, the quiet words kind of made it worse.  
“I don’t trust them. We have seen how smart those brothers and their boss are, how long before they smell a rat?”  
Lilith picked herself off the floor, annoyed but prepared to appease both men if that’s what it took to get them out of the current problem. In truth she wasn’t sure how far Frank’s nerve would go and whether her sister would keep the impulse to kill under control. The entire situation was precarious but called to her deep love of chaos. With a contrite expression she looked up at her lover, one hand reaching for Zacky.  
“So we need to get the fuck out of town. The three of us. Meet up with Jimmy and Johnny later as planned.”  
Zacky smirked, holding Lilith between himself and Syn, his chin on her shoulder. He knew his friend was breaking, he did love Lilith and now so much more made sense to him and Syn knew he would now have to keep both her and his boy safe. He sighed pointing towards the car.  
“Let’s get the fuck out of dodge.”


	28. Implications

Mikey sat on the back porch, his eyes fixed on the sky.  
He was exhausted and couldn’t sleep, there were sleeping pills upstairs and he knew it would only take one call to get something stronger seeing as the doctors would have preferred he still be in the hospital. He didn’t care about that, all that mattered was figuring this damn case out and then quitting. Mikey had decided that this would be the last call, he needed to get before it killed him or led him to the bottle like it had Gee.  
A wry smile crossed his face as he reached for the tumbler of whiskey on the step. Well, one wouldn’t hurt and to be honest there was more troubling him than just residual pain. He and Claire had got home late, meeting up at a café to grab a meal after he left the office and she left the hospital. They had compared notes, forces from two states were now looking for the gang and Lilith while Frank was in for a difficult recovery that would involve an operation to remove the bullet.  
They had talked, a desire rising in both of them to forget that had led to them barely making it through the door before clothes were being shed and urgent kisses exchanged. There had been no doubt that it had been good, his mind still clouded with the feeling of her body around his and her lips , her hair…everything. It wasn’t that which bothered him now, more that it had got rough. Rougher than even Mikey was used to wanting and that bothered him along with the fact that memories had mixed in with the excitement. Memories of pleasure and pain, Zacky’s face and his touch, Lilith’s practised hands and his own degradation.  
If Claire had noticed she hadn’t complained, urging him on to hurt her more even when Mikey fucked her ass and added some new bruises to those from the hospital spat. She had snuggled contented and used in his arms after, soon asleep even as he lay wide eyed beside her. Finally Mikey couldn’t take that and had found the whiskey bottle and his back step.  
It was now 3.15 am.  
Mikey considered another shot and was about to pick up the bottle when his phone rang. That would mean Gerard, his older brother always said he did his best thinking late at night and he was well used to waking up to a voicemail full of increasingly excited messages. With a grin he picked it up and leant back, a shooting star crossing the deep black sky above.  
“Yeah?”  
“Hello Mikey.”  
The boy froze, sitting bolt upright and reaching for his glasses.  
“Zack?”  
There was a giggle from the other end of the phone.  
“I know, last person you expected but I needed to talk to you.”  
“You gonna hand yourself in? That’s all I need from you. We have a manhunt now and sooner or later the Feds will want in.”  
There was a pause, Mikey standing and almost looking cautiously around the garden. He had never quite gotten over being taken by surprise and after everything that had happened it was almost possible that Zacky and Lilith might try and jump him again.  
“Nope, we’re already well away and you have more pressing problems closer to home.”  
“Such as?”  
Zacky’s voice became cold and precise, the shiver going up Mikey’s back.  
“We both got played. Those sisters have been playing all of us the whole time and now it has to be dealt with. You can leave Lilith to me but Claire is a much bigger problem and she’s all yours.”  
“I don’t understand, what about Claire?”  
“I am going to text you and attach a voice message. Do with it what you will Mikey but act soon. No matter what you may think I like you, under different circumstances we could have been friends.”  
The phone cut out and Mikey blinked, seeing the text and its attachment. He stared at it for a moment and then stood, almost flinging himself into the hallways to find shoes and his jacket before quietly exiting the house and heading for his car. The city was deserted and as expected, Gerard picked up on the first ring, his voice tired and full of sleep.  
“Mikes? You ok?”  
“Zacky called me. He’s sent us a voice message and something about Claire playing us.”  
“What the fuck?”  
“I know. Be with you in ten.”  
Mikey rang off, his mind racing as the car sped up. He couldn’t process this and yet it seemed to clarify some things in his mind. Why hadn’t she told him or even Frank about her sister? That she had identified Lilith’s body and got it wrong? That she had possibly even met Zack and certainly knew the name and yet had not mentioned it had niggled at his brain before but always been dismissed. By the time he reached Gerard’s home, he was shaking.  
“Tell me his exact words.”  
Gerard made them both coffee as he listened, not sure where this was going but intrigued, more so when Mikey went on to outline his own concerns. The guilt bit into him about what he had been doing with Claire even though they had both agreed again that it had just been sex and it was over. He couldn’t think that she had anything to do with the case but…  
“Let’s play it.”  
“Should we? Or should we get Ray here too?”  
Gerard shook his head, lighting a cigarette.  
“No. Not yet.”  
Mikey took a deep breath and hit play on the audio file, Lilith’s voice ringing out in the quietened room.  
“Claire and Frank got themselves in some trouble. He was extorting cash from a drug baron, nothing major but enough to cause internal affairs to get involved. I helped Claire to make the evidence go away but it meant they had to split up to divert attention and they needed money. So we invented a story about frank fucking old men and she pointed us….here. Would only take ten grand to pay off the one low level dealer and I knew that we would make a thousand times that. Jimmy can’t resist an easy score. In return we got the bank and all the fun at the fountains.”  
Zacky’s voice broke in and the two men listened rapt to the rest of the conversation. Neither could breathe or speak, the implications somehow all the more awful on hearing the matter of fact tone in her voice and the surprise in his.  
“You wanted us to take Mikey, why? Not just the kicks?”  
“Claire said he was getting suspicious. If that happened and Gerard joined the dots….well. Even Frank fucking Gee wouldn’t be enough to save them. So I needed to see what the boy knew. Which was precisely nothing.”  
The tape cut out, the silence in the room all the more complete since Mikey couldn’t seem to breathe and Gerard had almost curled up onto the sofa. This was worse, to think that Frank was involved and they had been betrayed by two people that both of them loved.  
“Its gotta be bullshit.”  
Mikey sat back, his words almost desperate.  
“Could be. Why would he send it to you? What can they gain from us knowing other than we turn on each other and it takes the heat from them.”  
Gerard stood abruptly, pacing as Mikey put his head in his hands.  
“Zacky said that the women played both sides. This sounds like he didn’t know either which means none of them knew.”  
“Which means….it could be true.”  
Gerard and Mikey stared at each other as the clock rang out four a.m.


	29. Motel Rooms

“Well that should put the cat amongst the pigeons…”  
Syn smirked, tapping his beer can against Zacky’s in a toast as his friend removed the sim card from the phone and broke it in half. They were a state and a half away now, one call from Jimmy confirming that they too were safe in the opposite direction before all phones were taken out of service. There would be no communication now until the rendezvous in a few months in some beach bar on a coast with no extradition policy.  
The money they had on them could easily see the three in comfort for however long that took but Syn had known that would cause attention and so had followed the ongoing idea of renting a non-descript house in a city suburb on the opposite coast. While they travelled they would use motels and hotels that wouldn’t look to closely at who stayed as long as they paid in cash. The boys liked the irony and had chosen the seediest one that they could find much to Lilith’s disgust.  
Syn could hear her in the shower, the connecting door between their room and Zacky’s was open and it had been a result of an almost drunken strategy meeting to make the call and see if they could keep the heat off themselves by pointing it squarely in the detectives own midst. He had warned Zack not to tell Lilith, clearly there was some residual feeling there and he wanted to make sure his woman didn’t think of switching sides. Not that any of them really could, both Zacky’s photo and Lilith’s had been on the tv with Jimmy’s although they were old pics from before the asylum fire and it was easy to make sure that the vague descriptions no longer related to reality.  
“You think they will go for it?”  
Zacky watched the dark flit across Syn’s eyes before he answered.  
“They won’t have a choice but to investigate it at least and that takes some of the attention from us.”  
“Mikey won’t take well to being played.”  
Syn grinned, his stare lingering on his best friend.  
“You like him.”  
Zacky blushed, a rueful smile appearing.  
“He’s cute and smart, I can’t deny I was attracted. Does that bother you?”  
“No. Not like I don’t know you’re bisexual and besides, intelligence can be attractive. The other one bothers me, damn smart and good with a blade.”  
Something dropped in the bathroom and both men giggled at the expletives that followed and the bellowed comment of murdering them if they chose a dump for the next stop. Syn stretched, he liked Lilith’s threats and the hate fucks that sometimes followed. Zacky downed the beer and looked around for his jacket.  
“Should get some sleep, a lot of driving tomorrow and we need a change of clothes and more supplies.”  
Syn nodded, one hand reaching out.  
“Don’t go.”  
Zacky flinched, staring down to where Syn’s fingers were gently stroking his wrists. He looked up, not sure what was going on now as Syn stood and looked at him critically.  
“Do you love me Zack?”  
“I don’t know what you mean, I….”  
Syn smirked and kissed him, gently at first and only enough to elicit a moan before pulling back and checking for a reaction. Zacky seemed stunned, almost frozen and could say nothing. He had wanted his friend yes, had loved him from afar and tried to replace him with any number of men in his bed but had never considered this moment at any time.  
“Do you?”  
Zacky took a step back, his tone defensive.  
“Yes but you don’t love me like that. You don’t even see me like that and certainly not when your girlfriend is in the shower.”  
“I never considered a lot of things until I saw Matt die in front of me and all I could think about was that I was fucking glad it wasn’t you. I can’t lose you same as I can’t lose her and if that means I love you then I do.”  
Syn took a breath, not quite sure where this was going but determined now to act on it. The three of them were bound together that much was true and it was so much harder to turn in a lover than a friend. He wanted Zack, his idle fantasies over the years now turning into something a lot more solid. He liked how Zacky’s eyes flashed green in the light and smiled as his friend chewed on his snake-bites before answering.  
“What about Lilith?”  
“I never minded you fucking her, why should she mind this?”  
“That didn’t happen often and not the same thing…”  
Syn grabbed his hair and kissed him again, this time getting the response he wanted as Zacky deepened the moment. He liked the taste of whiskey and how Zacky almost clung to him, long moments passing before Syn tugged harder and kissed a long line down his neck, his other hand on Zack’s ass.  
“Let’s ask her. LILITH?”  
There was a pause, Syn preventing Zacky from pulling away until Lilith’s head appeared around the door. Her hair was still in a towel and she regarded the two men for a moment before a slow grin crossed her face.  
“Having fun boys?”  
“Do you mind if I fuck Zacky?”  
“Nope, just tape it for me to watch later.”  
She disappeared again and the two men stared at each other before laughter got the better of them. Zacky couldn’t resist the idiot grin on his face as Syn pushed him onto the dodgy looking waterbed that took up most of the room. There was a strange rippling motion that added to the humour as clothes were discarded and increasingly rough kisses turned into an exploration of body that left both of them breathless. Syn was a little lost, letting Zacky take the lead as he had at least been with a guy before and it felt too good to want to stop.  
Lilith had left the door to the bathroom open and idly watched them as she rinsed the dye from her hair and fixed the hairdryer enough to at least dry it for the most part. It was hot to watch Syn get used for a change, his boast of fucking Zacky turning into the reverse and she had giggled as he pained complaints turned into a heated moaning served to make the temperature in the whole place go up. Zacky was clearly loving it, at turns gentle and almost brutal until Syn was screaming his name and Lilith couldn’t resist standing at the door and outright staring.  
Zacky turned his gaze on her and she returned his smile.  
“How about you come over here?”  
“I wouldn’t dream of interfering.”  
Syn growled, it was getting harder to delay his oncoming climax and he wanted her with them. She knew it, slipping her bra from her shoulders but still lingering out of reach until he growled her name and Zack found she was close enough to grab. Lilith giggled, being swept up in the moment as the two men pounced and she gave in. How many hours passed she couldn’t be sure, it was as if something that had long smouldered in the two men had taken them over and it was daylight before all of them were satiated.  
Finally she slipped away from them, her mind on finding a better way out for her lovers than what they planned and yet still meaning her sister got away too. Lilith knew that Claire might not share that sense of loyalty but even now she couldn’t quite give it up and pondered on a diversion as the boys slept.   
Something dramatic.  
Something….interesting.  
Lilith dressed and picked up Syn’s revolver before slipping out into the morning sun. On the run was one thing but being on the hunt was so much better.


	30. Tensions

Frank gritted his teeth as the nurse changed the dressing on his shoulder and adjusted the drip. She smiled sympathetically at the young man, he had been through a long operation and now was the first time that he had been conscious longer than a couple of hours. Still he looked tired and pale, a smile only forming on his face when Gerard knocked on the door.  
“Hey, you’re awake.”  
“Hi Gee.”  
They shared a long kiss, Frank remarking that his lover looked tired as Gee shook off his jacket and slumped into the nearest chair. His t-shirt was rumpled as if he had slept in it and a shadow of stubble graced his chin as he yawned before turning a tired smile on the nurse.  
“Can he have a coffee with me?”  
The girl smiled thinking they made a handsome couple before nodding.  
“He can but no more than one.”  
Gerard immediately passed Frank the Styrofoam cup and they both enjoyed the smell of fresh coffee as the nurse finished up and left. Gee closed the door and sat down again, clearly Frankie was feeling better as he had picked up one of his lovers files from the table and was flicking through it.  
“What’s new on the case?”  
“They’ve gone to ground. We have a nationwide alert out but so far nothing bar from a load of random sightings. Mikey and Claire have headed west on one lead and Ray now has the Feds helping. Or hindering depending on how you look at it.”  
Frank winced, he knew Ray would hate that.  
“You’re doing the 20 hour work day thing huh?”  
Gee giggled, he couldn’t deny it and again a flash of suspicion crossed his mind. They had discussed the tape with Ray and played it for him, all of them agreed that it had to be a hoax, a way to get them to take their eyes off the prize. Still none of them quite were sure and now Gerard knew his brother was watching Claire as closely as he was now staring at Frank.  
“There’s so much about this case that bugs me. Did Claire ever talk to you about her sister?”  
Frank shook his head.  
“No, all I knew was that her mother died in a car crash after her father was murdered. The way she told it was a drive by and I know she never wanted to tell me that Lilith did it.”  
Gerard rubbed a hand over his brow.  
“I just don’t get why in all these years she never told you at least. You were such a close couple. And then not to mention it when two killers with those names pop up…”  
“What are you saying?”  
Frank’s voice had come out a little harsher than he intended and he forced a smile onto his face when Gee looked up.  
“I’m not saying anything. Just trying to put some stuff together and get a timeline. We have a missing five year period between that asylum fire and these murders where we don’t know they were. I’m trying to fill in the gaps in case it’s a lead to where they are now.”  
His lover grabbed his hand and Gerard let out a breath.  
“I’m not getting at you Gee, just that you’re wearing yourself out.”  
“Yeah, Mikey said the same.”  
“So slow down.”  
Gerard shook his head and sipped some more coffee.  
“When are they letting you out?”  
Now it was Frank’s turn to shake his head, he was going stir crazy and couldn’t wait to get out and get back to some semblance of normal. He had to keep them all thinking that things were ok until Claire had the money and they could leave. The old guilt of hurting Gee was just getting harder to bear and he wondered for the thousandth time how he had got himself mixed up in all this. For a split second he wanted to confess and swallowed the impulse down.  
“Another week at least. Fucking sucks, I should be helping you.”  
Gee leant over, kissing him again and pulling a face.  
“Behave and I’ll suck the doc off so he lets you out.”  
Frank giggled, wincing at the pain in his shoulder as they hugged.  
“You total slut.”  
“Your slut. Oh by the way, do you have the keys to the lock up?”  
Frank nodded towards his jacket, they had a storage unit that most of the squad used to store old files, personal crap and far too much as far as Ray was concerned. Gee was notorious for misplacing his key and relied on Claire or Frank to be carrying theirs as Mikey didn’t use the lock up. He retrieved it quickly and they spent the next hour plotting the direction in which their foes could have possibly gone before a doctor appeared.  
“I need to change those dressings.”  
Gee looked at Frank, who had gone a nasty shade of green.  
“I better go, I’ll come back this evening.”  
“Thanks Gee, don’t you wanna see me puke?”  
Frank pouted as Gerard kissed his forehead and waved from the door. Gerard listened as an expletive followed him and giggled, quickly heading down the corridor and out into the car park. He paused and stared at the key in his hand. He hadn’t run this past Ray or even told Mikey and even now he wasn’t sure what he was looking for.  
He continued to ponder it as he drove and finally pulled up in front of the firm that looked after all the different lock up’s in a massive park. They paid well for it, not telling the company concerned that it was a police lock up now and certainly not keeping anything sensitive there beyond personal notes. It was just a useful place for….crap.  
Gerard soon found that it was full, Ray had been clearing out and he grinned at files precariously balanced on each other amongst some larger boxes and carefully moved them aside. What he wanted would be near the back and a stab of guilt hit his stomach. What he was looking for was not his, it was some of the stuff that Claire had stored here when she and Frank had split up. Personal things for sure but he had this gut feeling that the answer would be there and Gee had never ignored that instinct.  
Two hours in and it was his phone that caused a now exhausted and dusty Gee to pause. He had found nothing thus far bar some old photos of the whole team together and his own files on a previous case that he thought might become useful in the future. Gerard was beginning to think it was futile and had to scramble for a minute for the phone, his answer a little breathless.  
“Yeah?”  
“Hey bro, what’s happening?”  
Mikey sounded strained, his voice tight as Gerard transferred the phone to his other hand. He dropped a file, failing to catch it as he replied to his brother with a short laugh.  
“Not much, checking out a lead. You?”  
“We just got a call. Someone hung a priest off a fountain.”  
Gerard froze.  
“Where?”  
“Next state over. We’re on our way there now.”  
“I’ll get hold of Ray and call you back.”  
Gerard hung up and looked around himself, shoving things back into boxes left and right until he noticed something on the floor. A postcard by the look of it, a faded picture of Hawaii on the front. He grabbed it up, about to shove it away when he noticed the words on the back. He reeled, sitting down before reading it again over and over.  
“Oh god. No….”


	31. A New Plan

“Seriously woman, I am gonna put you on a fucking lead.”  
Lilith giggled, Syn’s warm arms holding her as they swayed to the music. It was late, well after midnight and a day’s drive away from where Lilith had left her sister the message. They had found a better motel this time and were enjoying a night of drinking and dancing, Zacky currently at the bar buying them another round of drinks after all three had seen her work on the news.  
“My obligation to Claire is paid. I left her the code for the account with her money and now she’s on her own. As are we.”  
He raised an eyebrow, searching her face.  
“You can do that? After all these years working with her?”  
“I want you and Zack and some form of life. I think you can agree that sooner or later we will get caught even if we get out this time.”  
Syn grabbed her hand and pulled her back to where Zacky had put beers and shots out for all three of them. He smiled, his mind felt so much more peaceful now that he had everything he had ever wanted in Syn and Lilith both. Now all that mattered was getting away and keeping Lilith from playing too hard. He passed her a drink and waited till they got settled into the snug booth on the darkest side away from the dancefloor.  
“Why a priest?”  
“An in joke.”  
Lilith giggled, the shots were making her head spin.  
“Claire had a beautiful voice as a child, she wanted to be the soloist in the church choir. The priest laughed at her, upset her when she was only eight years old….sadly he died a little while later.”  
She looked up, both men now staring at her.  
“Silly man got some yew leaves mixed into his salad sandwiches. Nasty business Taxine poisoning.”  
Zacky leant back.  
“How old were you?”  
Lilith met his gaze, Syn now kissing up her neck.  
“I was ten. The first time I killed for her and the beginning of all this. Now I have ended it.”  
“Will she accept that?”  
The girl shrugged, the music changing again and competing with the keening echo in her head that demanded to kill. It didn’t matter whether Claire accepted it or not, as far as Lilith was concerned she had done enough and both of them would have to deal with their own problems from here on out. She watched Syn down his shot and pull out a map from his pocket.  
“Whatever. We need to hit the west coast so tomorrow we sleep and hit the road at night. Then we lay low for a month before we fly out.”  
Zacky glanced down.  
“I thought we were flying out right away.”  
“Not now. You gotta think that the cops are going to be closing every airport looking for us.”  
All three shared a glance, worried now that if Jimmy and Johnny stuck to the original plan they were likely to get caught. Syn didn’t think it would happen but was not about to take any chances and was pretty sure that he could rely on the others to agree.  
“I’m with Syn.”  
Lilith winked at Zacky who nodded too and soon all three were back on the dancefloor. Only Zack remained sober enough to drive and was soon giggling to himself as he dragged his lovers out of the bar before clothing was removed and Syn added to the body count. He bundled Lilith into the back and retrieved Syn from a drunken rendition of Sweet Home Alabama.  
“Will you two shut up?”  
“My ass is ringing.”  
Zack stared for a moment.  
“Lilith, that’s your phone. Thought you got rid of it.”  
She stared at him drunkenly for a moment before answering it, the voice at the other end clearly pissed off and screaming at her before Zacky took the phone away and walked around to the other side of the car. He noticed the voice didn’t pause, amused at the tirade as he lit a cigarette in the darkness before finally cutting in.  
“You must be….Claire.”  
There was a pause.  
“Which bitch is this?”  
“Zacky.”  
“Well put my sister back on. We have a serious fucking problem.”  
“Lilith is in no state to listen to you right now. What’s the problem, she paid you the money and we’re leaving.”  
Claire snarled, Zacky almost flinching.  
“They’re getting more and more suspicious. I need her help.”  
Zacky glanced to where both his lovers were now dozing in the car. Clearly his plan to set the police against each other had worked a little too well but he had no intention of letting Lilith’s love for her sister draw her into even more trouble now she considered the debt paid.  
“I’ll get her to call you.”  
Claire’s protest was cut off as Zacky ended the call and then methodically smashed both the phone and the sim card. He quickly pulled the car out of the bar lot and headed back into town and the motel. It was fast approaching three a.m and he wanted to sleep but needed to talk to Syn first.  
“Damn bitch is heavy.”  
Syn rubbed his head and tried to focus as Zacky laid Lilith on the bed and quietly closed the door behind him. Soon hot coffee rested between the two men as they sat at the scratched table and Zack quickly filled Syn in on the conversation he had had with Claire.  
“What do you suggest?”  
Zacky rested his head on the back of the chair and stared up at the ceiling.  
“We’re not going to be free while Lilith is protecting Claire.”  
“She said its over.”  
Syn knew where the conversation was headed and started to weigh up the risks as Zacky glanced towards the closed door. Neither man really wanted to force a confrontation with the law but removing Claire would solve a whole lot of problems now and potentially for the future.  
“Its never going to be over unless we act.”  
The tall man sighed.  
“So we take Claire out but how?”  
“They will be all over that body now and Claire will be in amongst it. She’s already freaking out so it won’t be hard to dangle Lilith in front of her.”  
Zacky smirked, Syn now rolling his eyes and scowling.  
“Along with Gerard and Mikey and probably half the state police.”  
Another round of coffee appeared.  
“C’mon Syn, you used to have a sense of adventure.”  
Syn giggle, unable to resist the pout coming his way.  
“I’m more worried about Lilith’s reaction.”  
“She said it herself, no more favours.”  
The two men shared a smile and finished the coffee before checking the doors were locked and turning in. It seemed that Lilith still slept between them and the alcohol soon meant that they slept and the hours ticked on towards daylight and a plan that would see a confrontation that none of them had expected.   
Lilith however had been listening at the door.  
She got up and went to that table to make more coffee and sat in the doorway of the motel room. She couldn’t deny the logic of what she had heard, the fact that her phone was gone was another small obstacle and yet part of her still wanted to warn Claire. Another part wondered if Mikey would indeed be there and she more than any of them knew the risk he posed.  
One way or another it could go bad.  
Did they run and hope their luck held?  
Or did she let the men in her life kill her sister?  
Lilith continued to sit there as the sun came up.


	32. Brothers

Gerard rubbed a tired hand over his eyes and glanced at the speedometer as the first hints of sunlight rose up over the mountains in front of him.  
It was reading a steady eighty five, the whiskey bottle propped beside the gear stick was half empty and Gee knew he should stop, sleep even before going on but he couldn’t. He had to reach Mikey, had to break the news in person and not over the phone. The message on the postcard in his jacket was burned into his brain and he reached for the bottle, taking another long swig as the rage threatened to overtake him.  
A simple postcard from Hawaii….  
A cheery greeting to Claire and Frank….  
“Weather is fab, lots of sunshine but no fountains!”  
Signed by Lil and Zee…  
And dated two years after the asylum fire.  
Gerard swore and put his foot down, the muscle car jumping ahead with a growl. He had pored over it with Ray, both of them agonising over what it could mean. Even now Gerard couldn’t think that Claire had betrayed them, he had loved her and loved Frank even more. He knew Mikey loved her still and yet there was solid proof now that she had known her sister was alive and that Zacky was with her. Had she been as involved as the taped message would suggest?  
Ray hadn’t believed it.  
“We can’t assume anything. We have to talk to them.”  
“You don’t think it looks bad?”  
Gerard had seen his own pain mirrored in his friend’s face.  
“It ain’t good. Go find Mikey and talk to Claire, I’ll handle Frank.”  
He had left within an hour, driving all day and only stopping to snatch the odd hour of sleep and to buy the whiskey. Through the night he had kept going although he had nearly ended up in the ditches by the side of the road more than once. All he could think about was getting to his little brother before anything worse could happen.  
Finally the town came into view and he pulled the car over at a small diner. Gerard knew he was drunk, knew he badly needed coffee and had enough charm to get the waitress to oblige him before glancing at his watch and reaching for his phone. With a deep breath he dialled and waited.  
“Hey Gee, its five thirty.”  
“Mikey, I need you to listen to me.”  
There was a pause and he heard Mikey moving around before he answered.  
“What’s going on?”  
“I’m in a diner on the main road out of town. Come out here now. Alone.”  
“Why? Gee, tell me…”  
“Just get here and don’t tell Claire.”  
“Gimme half an hour, I will sneak away.”  
The phone cut off and Gee took a deep breath, exhaustion threatening to overwhelm him. He was regretting the alcohol now and almost felt himself dozing off before realising someone had slid into the seat opposite him. He looked up with a smile expecting Mikey and stopped. For a moment he could only stare before the woman opposite him smiled.  
“You must be Gerard.”  
He searched her face, looking for a similarity to Claire before a scowl settled across his features.  
“You must be Lilith.”  
“Yes, I am. Have you come to see Mikey? I know he’s here.”  
Gerard picked up his mug, eyeing the woman critically. It was strange to think that such an innocent looking girl could be the cold killer he knew she was and the thought of what she had done to his brother made his drunken brain spin.  
“I should arrest you right now.”  
Lilith giggled, immediately attracted to the dark haired man.  
“But you won’t and I will tell you why. You need to get Claire away from here.”  
“Why?”  
There was a pause as the waitress set down more coffee in front of her.  
“Because my boys are going to kill her if you don’t and no matter what she’s done neither I or your brother want that.”  
Gerard paused, he couldn’t deny it in his own head now. He had always had an inbuilt sense for when someone was telling the truth and he couldn’t take his eyes away from Lilith. She continued to watch him, well aware that Mikey was on his way and probably either one of her lovers could also be nearby. It called to her own madness and she smiled at him.  
“So Claire is involved.”  
“Up to her neck. We’ve protected each other since we were kids but I can’t anymore. So take her and Mikey and run.”  
Gerard shook his head, his voice hard edged.  
“You murdered Christ knows how many people, you don’t get to walk.”  
Lilith giggled.  
“She’s been killing just as long and its not like you’re innocent Mr Policeman.”  
“What about Frank?”  
The girl shrugged, getting up and now he could see the revolver under her jacket. Gee kept his hands in view, well aware that he had little other option. Lilith sighed, glancing over her shoulder.  
“He’s a sap. He loves the wrong woman but he’s not a bad man.”  
Without a word she turned and disappeared into the crowd of people coming in from a coach tour for an early breakfast. Gerard let out a shaky breath and followed her outside although she had gone from view. He lit a cigarette and smoked it until he saw Mikey’s car pull in. Mikey looked as tired as Gee felt and pale faced as they went back inside.  
There was nothing much Gerard could say, waiting until another pot of coffee was on the table before sliding across the postcard. Mikey closed his eyes, every last hope he had been harbouring fading away. He looked back up, cold eyes as Gerard sighed.  
“I just met Lilith too. I think we need to get Claire back home and confront them both. Her sister says the gang is now out for blood and we’re outgunned.”  
“No.”  
Mikey had wrapped his arms around himself.”  
“You want a massacre?”  
“I want some answers. We don’t know anything other than what we have heard from Lilith and believe me, we can’t trust that.”  
Gerard grabbed Mikey’s hand.  
“I agree but not here.”  
The patrons around the brothers were beginning to stare so both men gathered up their belongings and headed out into the fresh morning air. Mikey was numb, he could see Gerard had been drinking heavily and knew he was right and that any gun battle in such a small place had the potential for disaster. He also knew he couldn’t run.  
“We let them go and we’re never going to catch up to them.”  
“So what do we do?”  
The car roared back into life as Mikey smiled and patted his brother on the knee. They had always faced their problems together and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Gerard had the game face on, not sure where this was going but ready to end it.  
“We go talk to Claire and then we take them down.”


	33. Wide Open Space

4.00 am.  
Somehow it felt right. The evening air was the same, crisp and yet with a touch of cold. The fountain sounded gently, bells in the darkness the blanketed the deserted square. This was a quieter place, nobody around as the clouds scattered around the moon. There were no houses nearby, just a deserted town centre and the woman sitting on the fountain edge appreciated the silence.  
Claire shivered, pulling her jacket around herself.  
It had fallen apart.  
Frank was running too but she didn’t know if he would make it in time or even alive given the wound in his shoulder and the forced flight from the hospital. He had been forced to do something unthinkable, his almost hysterical call to her letting Claire get out just seconds before Mikey and Gerard had made it into the hotel. She had grabbed her phone and gun, nothing else really needed and gone to ground, annoyed that Lilith’s phone was out of action.  
It would be twenty four hours before the money hit the foreign accounts and she knew that in order to be completely free there were loose ends on both sides that needed to be tied up. Hence Claire was sitting here and waiting to see which of those ties would show up first.  
“You have the money, why are you still here?”  
Claire smiled, walking into Lilith’s arms. For a moment the sisters simply hugged, both of them aware that this had become bigger than either of them had intended and now, whatever happened, they would probably never see each other again.   
“They know. Frank had to shoot his way out. Hello Zack.”  
“Claire….”  
Zacky smirked, looking his lover’s sister up and down and noting the gun in her hand. He knew Syn was watching from the rooftop behind them, an ideal snipers perch for a man who could hit anything he wanted day or night. He was aware Lilith had an idea what they were thinking and was not intrigued to see it play out. She crossed her arms, staring at Claire with impatience.  
“And? I kept up my end of the bargain so go.”  
Claire snarled , the gun coming up and pointing at Lilith’s face.  
“You have to help me with THEM.”  
Lilith glanced to her left, a half smile on her face as Gerard and Mikey came out of the shadows. Both looked gaunt and exhausted, the news that had reached them from back home had turned a sickening fear into a haunting reality and Mikey’s voice cracked as he looked at Claire.  
“Why?”  
She shrugged, unable to keep the pain from her voice.  
“We needed the money. I never meant to hurt you.”  
“Ray is DEAD. Frank shot him in cold blood!”  
Zacky and Lilith exchanged a glance, this was unexpected. Lilith wondered what Syn was waiting for, the light was dim but he could still take the shot. Gerard came a little closer, noting that the gun was still pointed at Lilith although Claire and Mikey had not taken their eyes from each other.  
“Give this up. Its over.”  
Claire cocked the gun and swung it towards him as Zacky pulled Lilith back behind him. Gee didn’t flinch, he knew Mikey had a gun in his hand now too and that it had the potential to end in the cops taking out each other and the two killers walking away.  
“Please Claire. Where are you and Frank going to run to? This has to end now and you and your sister have to face up to what you’ve done.”  
“We survive that’s all.”  
Lilith giggled, Mikey snarling and aiming his gun at her. She simply picked up a rock and placed it on the side of the fountain before stepping back. For a moment he frowned before a gunshot echoed across the square and the stone shattered. Zacky smiled and pointed to Mikey.  
“My boy Gates is one of the best snipers the army ever had. Any thoughts you have of taking us in? Forget them. We’re leaving now and you guys can sort this out between yourselves.”  
Gerard put out a hand, wanting to calm the situation.  
“Not like you have anywhere to run either.”  
Lilith smiled prettily, motioning towards Claire.  
“We’re very wealthy now, she doesn’t need Mikey anymore.”  
Rage flared in his face, Mikey only wincing slightly as Claire winked at her sister.  
“C’mon Gee, did you tell him we were fucking?”  
Mikey froze, all of them now staring at Claire and Gerard who didn’t give her the satisfaction of looking away. He had expected her to play that card and had known that there was little he could say to mitigate the blow.  
“No but then you didn’t tell me you were fucking Frank either.”  
Mikey shrugged, something making him glance at Zacky who was regarding him with sad eyes. He found he couldn’t even feel the betrayal, in the end sex was nothing compared to his love for his brother and none of them had exactly been innocent. He could admit his attraction to Zacky at this moment and for the briefest second considered switching sides.  
Zack himself just shrugged.  
“So she’s a slut, I kinda like it.”  
Claire fired the gun catching Zack just below the knee. In an instant the air seemed to come alive, Mikey diving for Claire and managing to dodge both the bullet from the sniper and her own aim at him .Gerard pulled his gun, ducking down as Lilith sent a well aimed shot his way and proceeded to drag Zacky into the shadows, both were now intent on getting the fuck out of dodge.  
“Clusterfuck.”  
Syn hooked an arm under Zack, the rifle over his shoulder as Lilith slipped off her jacket and tied it tightly around the wound. Zacky winced, pale and annoyed at himself for not getting out of the way. It had gone silent again and now things were a lot more dangerous as they could see neither Claire or the brothers. The car was on the other side of the precinct and now they had to hope the path was still open.  
“Thought you would try to end it.”  
“Too many of you to get a clear shot, fuck.”  
They ducked down, seeing Mikey now striding towards a building in front of them. Lilith peaked, not seeing Claire but knowing she had to be around and now she knew there was no choice. She glanced at Syn, pressing a kiss against Zacky’s lips before hugging her man and kissing him too.  
“Get Zacky to the car.”  
“No fucking way are you going after her alone.”  
She kissed him harder this time.  
“The three of us are a target. I will keep them busy and meet you at the diner on the road out.”  
Zacky handed her the gun, unsure but seeing the sense in her words as Syn frantically tried to think of another option. Something flashed through his head and he grinned, putting his pistol into her hand as well.  
“Fine but for fucks sake, stay away from the men.”  
She nodded and headed out into the darkness as Syn pulled Zacky up and again they started to shuffle between the buildings. It was slow progress, the pain making Zacky’s head spin as Syn steadily hauled him towards the car.   
“You’re going back for her aren’t you?”  
Syn nodded.  
“Of course I am but we have something they don’t.”  
Zacky looked at him puzzled, seeing the phone in his hand and not making the connection until the car came in sight. He smirked, there was something satisfying in seeing a heavily armed Jimmy and Johnny waiting next to it.   
“Looks like the cavalry arrived.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soundtrack for this chapter is the song of the same name by Mansun :)


	34. Revelations

The town was now a hunting ground.  
Gee and Mikey were trying to get a fix on their location, conscious now that the sniper could be anywhere and annoyed at themselves for losing sight of Claire. They had decided on heading towards the main road out of town in a hope of regaining sight of the enemy, the local police were headed their way, soon back up would not be a problem but it was a matter of trying to contain both the gang and their former lover. Gee was torn, he wanted nothing more than to beg Mikey’s forgiveness but could see that his brother was shut down, focussed on nothing but putting an end to the horror.  
“I didn’t love her. It was just sex.”  
“I know.”  
“Mikey, I’m sorry.”  
The tall man turned and hugged his brother, there had been too much deception and he just wanted it over. Gerard returned the hug, planting a kiss on Mikey’s cheek before they both ducked into an alleyway and tried to make sense of where they were.  
“I’m sorry we didn’t see all this, I don’t get it. We all worked together for years, why would Claire and Frank turn?”  
“Because I’m a fucking idiot who loved her.”  
The sound of two rounds being chambered made Frank come out into the alley more, a figure behind him causing those guns to momentarily quiver. Ray smirked, glad to see both the brothers alive although now clearly confused. He motioned them over and the four made their way into a building on the left of the alley. In the dim light Gerard could see Frank’s arm was now in a sling and there was a selection of weapons laid out along a wooden table. Mikey’s expression was dead pan.  
“Wanna tell us what the fuck is going on?”  
Ray looked out quickly and then shut the door.  
“It was the only way to draw Claire out, me and Frank had to make her break cover. Okay guys, you can come out too.”  
The door at the other side of the room opened and Jimmy led his boys in, grim faced and wary. He wasn’t sure about this but Zacky had been insistent and now he started to understand .Gee and Mikey just looked even more confused and Frank sighed, his voice tired.  
“Explanations then. The first being that none of us are meant to walk away from this.”  
The silence in the room was complete, all eyes on the wounded man as he leant against the wall. Frank knew he couldn’t let it go on and as bad as it would go for him after, as much as he loved Claire, he couldn’t see any more innocent people die.  
“The girls planned it this way. We would be too busy trying to kill each other and that meant the route out and the money would be all theirs.”  
Syn swore, his fist connecting with the wall.”  
“The fucking bitch! You were in on this…”  
“Not exactly, they both are capable of pretty much anything though. I figured it out in the hospital when she said she’d wait for me knowing that I couldn’t go anywhere. Your friend, Zacky, where is he?”  
Syn went pale.  
“Claire wounded him, he’s at the car.”  
“He’s a dead man.”  
Jimmy grabbed hold of Syn, shaking him.  
“It’s ok, Frank already warned Zack. That’s the only reason me and Johnny brought you here. He’s going to disable the car so they can’t leave.”  
Mikey had been listening intently, somewhat amused that the women had played them all but now ready to kill both of them given the first opportunity. He could see Syn was in a similar frame of mind and couldn’t deny that the thought of Lilith meeting her end at his hands was satisfying.  
“So let’s go get them.”  
Gerard looked at his friends, not liking the expressions.  
“Arrest. Not kill.”  
Jimmy laughed, he remembered the man killing his best friend and there was an icy coldness to his voice.  
“You can if you get to them first. If not, stay out my fucking way.”  
Gerard snarled, Ray stepping in to break up any potential trouble.  
“This changes nothing between us. We take down the girls and then all bets are off. You murdered and stole, don’t think this constitutes a pardon.”  
Syn smirked, his arm draped across Johnny’s shoulders.  
“Leave Lilith to me.”  
Mikey couldn’t help his smile and the two teams separated, Jimmy taking his guys out the back as Ray lead Frank, Gerard and Ray back into the alley. Mikey reloaded his gun, the selection of weapons had been split between them and he found that even his anger had gone cold. He looked over at Frank, a smile ghosting his lips.  
“I know why you did it. Love sucks huh?”  
Frank giggled, pleased that his friends were being even a little understanding. He was feeling more sick, he didn’t want Claire to die or even Lilith but it was out of his hands now and he had a nasty idea that if news of this got back to either woman then a great big target was now on his head.  
“I told Ray he can do what he has to. I can’t carry this on anymore and no money is going to help when you’re running forever.”  
Gerard kissed him hard in passing.  
“We will face up to it all together. Let’s survive this first.”  
The four men walked on cautiously, the brothers feeling a little better now they knew the sniper was temporarily on their sides. In the distance the wail of sirens could be heard and Ray nodded to himself, at least that kind of help would mean they could potentially flush the women out and get them in custody before the more murderous parties involved could act.  
“Head towards that end of town, we can get a sweep going.”  
Gerard blinked the sweat from his eyes and shuffled forward to the end of the row of units that had been skirting. He couldn’t shake the feeling that they were walking into a trap, both Claire and Lilith had been one step ahead the whole time and despite the numbers he knew they could still have anticipated this turn of events.  
“They could be hiding anywhere.”  
Frank nodded, a cold chill going up his neck.  
“They will want to leave town.”  
“Which is where those cops are coming in from.”  
Ray pulled out a map and checked for other ways out from the industrial area they were in. He could see only one other road and pointed to their left. All of the men still head guns drawn and all flinched when a single loud gunshot sounded through the night.  
They froze, waiting for what seemed like endless seconds but no further sounds of violence reached them. Ray considered his options, if that was one of the girls being taken out then it meant his plan to catch the gang was back on. He tapped Mikey on the shoulder.  
“Let’s go check it out. You two head for the road.”  
Gerard nodded, Frank following him into the night as the other two doubled back. It didn’t take long to find the corpse, the surprised look on Johnny’s face somewhat at odds with the nasty wound from a large gauge weapon that had shattered his chest.  
Ray knelt down, closing the boys eyes as Mikey kept an eye on the building surrounding them. It was unnerving and when he saw movement in the building above he grabbed Ray’s collar and dragged him out of range.  
“Up there.”  
They exchanged a glance before Ray shrugged.  
“Then that’s where we’re going.”


	35. Demolition Lovers

Lilith was annoyed.  
More than annoyed, bloody furious.  
Taking out Johnny had been sweet, a little revenge for letting her pet Mikey go and making the whole thing more complicated. Doubling back to remove Zacky had been the plan but she had found the car empty and worse, the car itself was dead. That made getting out more complicated and a nasty little voice in the back of her head was warning that maybe, just maybe, Zacky had figured it out.  
No matter, it was time to leave.  
She filled a rucksack with enough money to make the journey comfortable, didn’t need more as the hidden bank accounts held enough for Claire and Lilith to live in comfort over several life times. Lilith also threw in the shotgun, swapping it for knives and keeping Syn’s pistol in her jacket. It would be easier to conceal but the tyre iron was a necessity.  
The plan now was to use the sewers to get out of dodge seeing as there was no car and she could hear sirens in the distance. Claire knew where the rendezvous point was and Lilith was now focussed on escape and nothing more. She slammed the trunk shut and turned back, scampering quickly into the maze of streets. The map of the sewer system said there should be a manhole system due north and that was where she headed. There was no gunfire, no sound at all and Lilith was getting increasingly nervous. They should be shooting at each other, there should be chaos….nothing.  
“Hey baby.”  
She froze, turning to see Syn in the doorway. He smirked at her delighted smile and wrapped his arms around her as Lilith giggled in delight at seeing the pretty man again. For a long moment they just held each other before she gazed up at him.  
“I thought you were getting Zack back to the car.”  
“He’s safe, couldn’t leave you here alone.”  
Lilith kissed him, a deep intense kiss that caused a long moan before he pulled away and looked down at her critically.  
“We need to go now. This place is gonna be crawling with cops real soon.”  
Lilith nodded, torn now she had seen him again.  
“To meet Zack?”  
“Ain’t leaving him behind.”  
He took her hand and pulled Lilith back along the maze of alleyways. Soon she was lost, confused and listening only to the noise of sirens and now occasional gunfire. He was cold and focussed, seemingly intent on a destination and it was wise not to question when Syn was on a mission. Finally he stopped at a chained door, the angled butt of his gun soon making it give way as he pushed her inside. The door slammed behind them and he slammed her against it, his hands under her ass so that she could wrap her legs around his waist as they were kissing, sweeter and almost tenderly until she pulled away.  
“Here? Now?”  
He grinned, nipping at her neck.  
“Fuck yeah, here and now.”  
Lilith giggled, clinging onto him as Syn carried her over to an abandoned counter. Both knew it would be quick and rough, not time to completely remove clothing only to release it and move it aside as he turned her face down onto the top, flying leaflets and cheery pamphlets all ending up on the floor. Roughly pulling both hands back behind her and grasping her wrists he paused, looking down at her perfect body, knowing she was wet for him.  
“Do you love me Lilith?”  
She glanced back at him, eyes shining with lust.  
“I adore you Syn, nothing will ever change that.”  
He winked at her, free hand slamming down on her pert ass.  
“The things you say…”  
She groaned loudly as he buried himself in her, closing her eyes and just enjoying the stretch. He had always been a demanding lover and it just added to the thrill going up her back that they were running for their lives, might get shot at any minute and yet all he wanted was her. Syn had forgotten everything, his mind a pleasant blank as he just enjoyed her and tried not to think about what lies she had told him.  
Part of him knew he was hurting her although her breathy cries spurred him onto to be rougher, more brutal until growing purple bruises littered her ass and she was literally hanging onto the counter. He grabbed onto her hair, pulling her head back as he ground his hips against her ass. At that moment he owned her and it made the betrayal almost worse in his increasingly angry brain. Lilith was too lost to care, she would have given him the world at that moment and couldn’t hold back her climax, hearing his growl of victory as he felt it and the almost blinding pleasure that was close to a blackout.  
Syn felt his heart break, his own pleasure peaking and falling without really penetrating the ice cold block in his brain. He leant forward against her back while they regained their breath before pulling away and tidying himself up, lighting a cigarette before turning back to where she now sat on the counter, her face flushed with a broad smile.  
“We gotta be in mortal peril more often.”  
He smirked, drawing on the cigarette before pointing towards the door.  
“We need to get going, Zacky is waiting for us at the car.”  
Lilith tried not to show fear, wondering if he saw the shiver that went up her back. She jumped down from the counter and turned away from him as she pulled on her discarded jacket. Syn watched her carefully.  
“Is he?”  
“Sure. Let’s go.”  
Lilith had slipped the larger of the knives from inside the jacket, trying to see what he was doing in the reflected moon light of the store windows. He had made no aggressive move as her hand touched the broken door frame and for a moment she thought he really did genuinely believe that Zack was where he had left him. She half relaxed, about to put the knife away as he leaned forward and grabbed her wrist, pulling her back into the room. Frantically she twisted, keeping the blade out of sight as he lifted her chin and kissed her lips.  
“Were you at least going to take me out yourself or let one of them do it?”  
Lilith stilled, his gaze was so pointed, so focussed that she knew lying now was pointless. Still she kept her left arm behind her and smiled up at him.  
“You think I could do it? It’s bad enough I have to think of it at all.”  
He smirked, glad that she didn’t lie to him now.  
“Get someone else to do your dirty work you mean.”  
“I wasn’t lying when I said I love you. At least believe that even if you think the worst of me.”  
Syn let her go and stepped back, arms wide. Lilith could do nothing but stare, his jacket and weapons were near the door behind her and he was completely unarmed although she knew with his military training it hardly mattered. There was rage on his face now.  
“The worse? You fucking set me up to die, you set all of us up to die just so you and Claire can get rich. I fucking love you, I would have done anything for you so here you go. Take your shot.”  
Lilith let her left arm drop, the knife dull in the gloom.  
“Don’t…”  
“Only way you’re walking out of here cos if I get to a gun I will use it.”  
Syn giggled, the vicious noise making her shiver.  
“C’mon Lilith. It’s what you wanted.”  
“No, it’s not. Syn, please we can leave together. I don’t care. Don’t make me do this.”  
Still he hadn’t moved and she took a step back, wondering if she could make it out and back down the alley before he could manage a shot but she knew it would never happen. He was a marksman, he never missed unless he wanted to and now Lilith could see that she had lost him.   
“DO IT.”  
Syn knew she would have to, self-preservation sparking anger and to her credit, Lilith was faster than he had thought. The blade grazed his arm as she lunged at him but Syn simply side stepped, well used to how she worked. They had watched each other kill enough times to make anticipating Lilith something he hardly had to think about and he slapped the weapon away before brutally back handing her. Lilith went down, her head striking the table as he stood over her and paused.  
“If I thought you could change baby, maybe I could forgive.”  
She stared up at him, dizzy and sick but knowing there was some pity there and it mad her gaze imploring.  
“For you Syn, I can change. Give it all up.”  
There was a moment of silence before he stretched out a hand and she took it gingerly, letting him pull her up. For the briefest second their eyes met and she thought there was a chance before he pulled her to him, his grip tightening as she started to struggle. He closed his eyes, the snap of her neck breaking loud in the room before he let Lilith drop to the floor. For a second he stood there looking down at her, slow tears working their way down his cheeks before turning away and gathering up both the fallen money from her jacket and all the weapons. Zacky was still leant in the alley way, sedating himself with whiskey and knowing from the desolate expression on Syn’s face just how much it had hurt him to kill her.  
“I’m sorry.”  
Syn was grim faced, pulling Zacky up and pointing them away from where the heat and flames of a growing fire were spreading out. They started out for the rendezvous point, neither man looking back as he sighed.  
“It’s done. The cops can have Claire, lets get the fuck out of here.”


	36. Meetings in the Dark

Mikey and Frank watched flames flare in the distance and shared a look.  
That was not good, neither was the fact that they had been searching for a half hour now and had found nothing bar a couple of distant gunshots and now the low roar of something catching fire. Mikey swore under his breath, Frank doggedly watching the alleys behind them.  
“We should head back that way, at least something is going on.”  
Frank winced, his shoulder was feeling the strain and the drugs had worn off. It was hard to keep up with Mikes at the best of times and now the taller man was striding away from him, talking over his shoulder.  
“Ray won’t let you go down, you know that right?”  
“Maybe he should. I deserve it, I hurt a lot of people in the name of love and my own mistakes. You more than anyone.”  
Mikey stopped, turning back.  
“We’ve been friends a long time. I felt bad when Claire and I got together, I knew then you adored her and yeah, I love her but…bros before hoes right?”  
Frank giggled, patting Mikey on the shoulder as they turned a corner.  
“I was surprised Gee went there though.”  
Mikey shrugged.  
“They were tight for years. That’s what I don’t get. It was one hell of an act to pull off.”  
Frank paused, they were coming up on the middle of the square again where the fountain was and could see a building beyond that had fire on a low level that seemed to be growing. Still there seemed to be nobody around and although the sirens were getting closer something beyond seemed to have stopped them, the lights of many police cars seemed to make the horizon glow more than the fire but they did not come closer and the thought crossed Mikey’s mind that Claire or Lilith could have arranged a surprise on the roads just to keep the odds more even.  
“She’s colder and smarter than you think. I got pulled in slowly and damn, Claire was a brilliant cop but she’s an even better criminal.  
“What about the other one?”  
Mikey pulled Frank along the wall, not wanting to give anyone hiding above any sign of a clear shot. He was curious now about how much Frank had known and even now wondered which side he was on. Gerard had always taught him that approaching anything from the most obvious angle was sometimes the worst idea and he felt a shiver go up his back. So much so that Frank had to grab him with the hand in the sling, grunting in pain as he pulled him back and pointed.  
Across the square Zacky and Syn came into view, the taller man half carrying the shorter who had clearly taken a wound in the leg. Both looked focused and grim, no weapons on display as they headed away from the burning building and towards where the two cops stood in the shadows. Mikey stepped out, Syn freezing in place just a few feet away.  
“Find anything?”  
Zacky smirked, he could see Frank had a gun in his left hand and Mikey was loosely holding his at his side. Syn just shook his head, both fatigue and a deadness in his voice that made Zacky want to cry.  
“Lilith’s dead. We’re leaving so do what you want.”  
Mikey tipped his head.  
“She’s dead?”  
“Yeah, now get out my fucking way.”  
Guns seemed to appear from nowhere, the four men in a tense standoff for a moment before Mikey raised a hand, his smile not reaching his eyes. Zacky reached out and pushed Syn’s arm down as they all stared at each other.  
“Do we know who’s burning that building?”  
Mikey shook his head.  
“From what you say could be where Claire is, that’s where we’re heading.”  
Syn nodded, he didn’t care about anything much at all but didn’t want to have to kill any more. All that mattered now was leaving and meeting up with his friends later on.  
“We found your friend.”  
Both Syn and Zacky flinched, the shorter man was obviously a little drunk and his voice slurred as they shuffled a little closer. Frank nervously lowered his weapon, even with the wounded man he had heard enough of their reputation to not want to risk a gun fight.  
“The guy that let me go.”  
“Johnny?”  
“Yeah, he’s dead.”  
Syn swore under his breath, forcing Zacky closer as he glared at Mikey.  
“You’ll join him if you insist on trying to take us in.”  
“I’ll tell you what….”  
Both Syn and Frank looked amazed as Mikey crossed the distance between them in two strides. He pulled Zacky’s head back by his hair and planted a long kiss against his lips. Zacky couldn’t stop grinning as Mikey let him go, winking as he stepped back.  
“You get a half hour head start. Good luck boys.”  
Syn just growled, pulling Zacky quickly away from the men and into the shadows. The cops watched them go, Frank turning a quizzical stare on his friends as they jogged on towards the fire which seemed to be growing.  
“What was that about? Stockholm Syndrome?”  
Mikey giggled, the darkness of the next smaller alley between the buildings making his eyes sting.  
“Something like that.”  
Frank went to answer, neither seeing or hearing anything behind him until something cold nicked his throat. He didn’t even dare to call out, knowing all too well who was holding him as her voice reached Mikey.  
“Is it true?”  
Mikey stared, now for the first sign seeing madness in Claire’s eyes. Her arm was tight around Frank’s neck, the lethal looking blade poking into the skin just above his jugular vein.  
“I don’t know. Judging by his face I would say yes.”  
“Fucking liar!”  
Frank swore under his breath, feeling the skin break as she shivered.  
“How did you think this would end? Let him go, it’s over.”  
For a moment their eyes held, Mikey desperate to save her life even now as Claire tried to process that her sister was dead. Frank held his breath, almost accepting that if she carried through on this threat then it was all over for him. He could see the pain in Mikey’s eyes and spoke softly.  
“Please my love, let this go now.”  
“Traitor! Shut up.”  
Mikey inched forward, one hand reaching out.  
“You won’t make it out and there’s been enough death. Lilith wouldn’t want you to die too.”  
Claire allowed a grim smile to cross her face. Giving up was the last thing her sister would have wanted and even now she vowed that Syn and Zacky would pay for what they had done. She almost loved Mikey in that moment, the way that even now he would go out of his way to save Frank.  
“I think its Gerard and Ray that should worry about dying.”  
Mikey froze, not liking the connection his brain made.  
“The building….”  
Claire nodded, malice in her eyes as she kissed Frank’s ear.  
“You have a choice. Go save your friend and your brother while me and Frankie the hostage get out of here or make a fight of this and watch that building burn. They really should have been smarter than to walk in there just because they thought they saw someone…”  
Frank closed his eyes, mouthing for Mikey to go. For a minute he couldn’t move, not wanting to leave when he wondered whether this had been his friends plan all along but knowing that Gee and Ray may well be in the worst shit of their lives.  
Claire smiled as Mikey fled across the square towards the flames.


	37. First Light

Gerard gratefully took the wet towel from Ray and wrapped it around his mouth.  
The only stroke of luck in the situation was that the office building had plush executive bathrooms and it had a decent fire protection system that was keeping the fire downstairs from reaching them in the short term, now all they had to do was get out. Gee wasn’t convinced that either one of the girls wasn’t lurking the halls somewhere or even the gang, both he had Ray had guns drawn as they quickly headed towards the rear fire escapes.  
“Fucking hell….”  
Ray pulled Gerard towards the window, the vantage point of being up a few storeys meaning that they could see lorries had been tipped at two intersections, temporarily stopping reinforcements. Gerard tipped his head.  
“That’s Claire. We discussed tactics for just such a scenario.”  
“She really did turn on us.”  
The tall man shook his head sadly, turning away to radio in both their predicament and the routes that were still clear. He wanted this over and he needed to talk to Claire, find out what had happened to make her turn on her own team. Gerard was still watching the corridors, not liking how quiet it seemed to be and when his phone rang it made him jump.  
“Gee?”  
A wave of relief went up his back.  
“Mikey? You ok?”  
“Yeah. Lilith is dead and Claire took Frank hostage.”  
Gerard stopped, his eyes now watering from the ever increasing smoke.  
“What the fuck?”  
There was a short laugh from the phone as Ray grabbed Gee’s shoulder and they moved towards the door they could see through the gloom. It was illuminated and probably their best shot.  
“I know but you got worse problems. What floor you on?”  
“Sixth. Smoke is bad but we got a fire exit.”  
“Go up, you ain’t getting out that way.”  
Ray turned at Gee’s sharp instruction, taking the phone as both men looked around to see if there was another route that wouldn’t mean going up a burning building. Gerard could feel the air drying out and could see Ray was struggling to breathe now as he was.  
“Mikey, its Ray. Any sign of the fire department?”  
“On route but she must have used accelerant cos everything is burning down here. I’m going up the building to the right of the one you’re in. Seems to be that a low roof from your building lines up with the top of this one. We can try and make a way across. You need to go up to the ninth”  
Ray smiled, there was nothing like Mikey in a crisis to keep you calm. He and Gerard entered the fire escape, able to see the dull glow below and grateful to be climbing away from it and into slightly fresher air. They counted the floors, coming out into the corridor as Ray looked to see where any door to salvation might be. Gerard jogged along the corridor, yelling to Ray when he found the marked exit.  
“I think this is it.”  
Both men gulped in fresh air, relieved both to see Mikey opposite, unhurt and clearly just as relieved. The gap between the buildings was too far to jump but with something to bridge it, Mikey reckoned they could make it. He shouted across to them, waving his phone.   
“Fire Department are here in two minutes. Problem is they won’t get a ladder around here easily but you have time and I have an idea.”  
Gerard giggled, his mind already not liking where this was going.  
“I’m waiting for the firemen.”  
“Don’t be a pussy.”  
Ray smirked, hearing the fire trucks pulling in and already seeing firemen coming around and the shouts of men. His phone lit up as captains called in and he leant against the rail, sending out instructions on the hunt that would now start for Frank and Claire. He also instructed them to look for Jimmy and his boys although he doubted any of them would be left in the town below. Gerard remained watching as Mikey and three firemen manoeuvred an extendable ladder out from the opposite doorway.  
“Can’t we just go down the usual way?”  
Mikey laughed, he could see the sick look on his brother’s face.  
“This is quicker. Now hurry up, we gotta save Frank from himself.”  
Ray and Gee waited as the ladder came across, following shouted instructions on how to precariously anchor it to the ledge. Neither of them really wanted to do this but gingerly Ray shuffled along it as an explosion rocked the building. Mikey bit his lip, he could see the firemen being pulled back and wanted Gerard safe as Ray grabbed his hand and regained his footing.  
“C’mon Gee!”  
For a moment Gerard hesitated, the quick glance down was not comforting.  
“Jesus…”  
Mikey glared at him.  
“For fucks sake bro!”  
Gerard winced and gave him the finger before climbing out on the ledge and then on his hands and knees across the ladder. The wind whipped at him and he could see now how badly the building was burning and why Mikey had been so insistent. He concentrated, looking ahead to where both Ray and Mikey had a hand out to guide him to safety. He kept his pace measured and only took a shaky breath once they had hauled him over the ledge.  
“Fucking hell.”  
Gerard grabbed Mikey, seeing the tears in his eyes and feeling his own prick. Their bond was always something he had relied on and he felt Mikey relax as Ray wrapped his arms around both of them before pulling away and leaving the brothers to talk. Both of them stared after him, smiling as he issued more orders and took charge. There was nobody like Toro in a crisis.  
“You ok Mikes?”  
Mikey shook his head.  
“I left him Gee…I had to get to you and Ray.”  
“Frank is smart and I still can’t believe she will hurt him.”  
Gee hugged him again, another explosion driving them both into the building and down the stairs. Down below Ray filled them in, the roads out were now road-blocked, descriptions had been updated and resent out. Somehow Gerard doubted it would help, lighting a cigarette on a falling ember as two bodies were stretchered past him. He lifted the blanket on the second, looking down on Lilith’s pale face.  
“Who do you think did it?”  
Mikey shrugged, somewhat saddened as he remembered her smile.  
“Syn. She lied to him once too often and paid for it.”  
Gerard dropped the blanket, an arm going around Mikey’s shoulders as the two men looked out onto the brightly lit streets and myriad of police vehicles. It was over in one sense, he had no doubt that if they didn’t catch them the gang would go to ground and if Frank’s body didn’t turn up well then they would know the choice he had made.  
“Claire better hope Frank doesn’t do the same.”  
“He won’t. Different kind of love, equally as destructive.”  
The brothers pondered some more as daylight joined with the flames to pattern the horizon and the fountain waters once again glowed red.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue to follow....then something new, any thoughts or ideas of what you would like to read are always welcome :)


	38. Epilogue on the beach

A beach, six months later.  
Claire enjoyed the feeling of baking sun on her skin, a waiter bringing another of the rum based cocktails she had become fond of as Frank rubbed more sunscreen into her shoulders. This was their honeymoon, a beachfront ceremony with every luxury they could want and now were spending a month in paradise. All in all it was much better than police-work.  
“Where do you wanna go next?”  
Frank smirked as her shoulders rippled with pleasure.  
“Never been to Thailand. Fancy that Claire?”  
“Sure. I’ll get Jimmy to sort us some different paperwork….”  
He giggled, they had maintained a communication with their fellow exile who had used his money to disappear to his own private island. They had spent the first couple of months there with him until they heat had died down. Both knew that Gerard and Ray would never stop looking, Mikey maybe less so but there was no likelihood of ever going home.  
Syn and Zacky had vanished too, Claire grateful for that as she still considered that they had murdered her sister despite understanding their reasons. Jimmy still heard from them, it seemed they were drinking their way around most of the continents and had no intention of stopping soon. Privately Frank kinda admired their tenacity.  
“We should look for a more permanent place to settle after that.”  
Frank wrapped his arms around Claire’s waist, kissing the back of her neck.  
“You getting broody?”  
She giggled, wriggling around.  
“Shove off Frankie, don’t even think about it.”  
“I dunno, would be cute as fuck.”  
She rolled her eyes, kissing his smile as a waiter approached with a tray carrying more drinks. They both looked confused, they still had drinks balanced on the luxurious loungers and Frank turned on his most charming smile at the immaculate man in front of him  
“We didn’t order these.”  
“There is a card sir.”  
The waiter placed the drink and then handed Frank a small oblong of cardboard with a neat gold border. It had a few words, type written and simple. He frowned, Claire reading it over his shoulder.  
“Seven pm in the bar, enjoy the drinks.”  
“What do you think?”  
Claire glanced around, the paranoia that came with being on the run was hard to control at the best of times and now every stranger looked threatening. Frank turned the card over in his hand.  
“Could be nothing but I think we should leave.”  
He looked at her as Claire stood and started to gather up their belongings. He could understand it but refused to believe that they would have to keep running at the slightest issue.  
“Relax. Its probably just some guy who thinks I have a hot wife. They’re right of course but they ain’t touching.”  
He pulled a derp face, her giggle automatic even as she continued to glance around. He helped her pick up the towels and they picked up the glasses and headed back into the plush hotel. It was a truly beautiful place, the smell of money almost in the air and dark suited security guards mingled amongst the waiters and the clientele. Probably half of these people Frank was sure were worse crooks than he and Claire had ever been and yet they all looked relaxed. He wound his arm around Claire’s shoulder.  
“Frank, are you sure this isn’t a problem?”  
“We can be careful and armed. We can check out the bar before we go in. I don’t think even Ray or Gee could afford to come down here even if they knew we were here.”  
She giggled, he was right and the thought of the ever pale Gee in shorts made her smile. No matter what they had done Claire would always miss him and their relationship, his mind was fascinating. She missed Mikey more although she would never admit it to Frankie, part of her wanted to see where their relationship could have gone. Claire had regrets, nobody hugged like Ray and she missed Lilith even more despite their long separations that their chosen lives had caused.   
For a second she wanted to take it back.  
Not that it could ever happen.  
And well over thirty million dollars was plenty of compensation.  
Claire smiled to herself and went to shower. Frank picked up his book and headed out to the balcony, enjoying the cool breeze and flexing the almost healed wound in his shoulder. He had been lucky, all of them had been lucky and he was grateful that the news had shown that all his former friends and lovers had survived. He knew Claire mourned Lilith deeply and pondered on whether she would eventually go after Syn as he ordered room service.  
By seven both of them were nervous although Frank would never show it and he had even picked out a smart suit to go down to the bar. Claire loved it, a floor length scarlet gown would set if off nicely and she adored the feeling of dressing wealthily now that they could afford it. He had brought her diamonds and they sparkled in the warm evening as they went downstairs.  
“Empty…”  
Frank could feel the weight of his gun under his jacket but apart from the barman there was nobody around.  
“What do we do?”  
He shrugged and took Claire’s hand.  
“We buy a drink.”  
They settled at the bar, both of them ordering vodka and watching the door. A few people came and went, the clock ticking on for half an hour as they kept up a vigil. Finally Frank turned back to the bar to order again and stopped short.  
He stared at the man behind it, Claire finally turning.  
Mikey Way stared back at both of them, filling their glasses with neat vodka.  
“Before you think about pulling that gun Frank. Don’t.”  
Frank carefully placed his hands on the bar.  
“Hello Mikey.”  
“Hi and hello Claire. Congratulations by the way.”  
Claire pouted, she hadn’t been able to fit a gun in the clutch bag that lay on the bar and had no doubt from Mikey’s voice that he had the bar covered. They never went into a situation without back up and now she needed to work out if they could talk themselves out of the prison term in front of them.  
“Thanks. How did you find us?”  
Mikey smiled, filling his own glass.  
“Interesting story. Three months ago Gerard gets a letter.”  
He put an envelope on the counter, Claire immediately recognising the handwriting and going a little cold.  
“Lilith?”  
Frank stared, he too had given up any thoughts of ending this meeting in violence. If Mikey was here that meant so was local law enforcement and that meant that whatever safety they had thought they had from extradition was probably over. He listened thoughtfully as Mikey continued.  
“Seems your sister didn’t trust you. That letter was sent to Gee automatically if the bank concerned hadn’t heard from her in three months. Took us a while but she gave us bank account numbers so we could track your movements from that.”  
“Now what?”  
Mikey stared at Frank, not liking the harsh tone.  
“You come home. Face up to what you did.”  
“No.”  
Claire grabbed Frank’s hand, she didn’t want this to end in a fight.  
“What if we give you Jimmy?”  
Mikey smirked, he had expected a bargain to be offered.  
“We already have Jimmy. You lead us straight to him. Now if you give me Syn and Zacky, then maybe we can plea bargain.”  
“We don’t know where they are, hardly going to tell me when they have murdered my sister.”  
Claire was irritated by the brilliant smile that crossed his face.  
“So really you have nowhere to go.”  
All three downed their shots and Frank reached for the bottle, pouring them all another as a small army of armed men appeared at the door to the bar. He raised a toast to Mikey, his arm around Claire as they waited for the other patrons to leave.  
It was indeed, time to go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, no idea what's coming next :)

**Author's Note:**

> The other fic wasn't working so....


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